My shield my sword
by esama
Summary: When a project goes wrong in his company, Kaiba Seto begins to realise just how big role his bodyguard has in his life. Alternate Universe, yaoi. Kaiba x Yugi
1. First part

**My shield my sword **

** First part**

I think this is one of those moments when you're just at the eye of the storm. My skin tingles, I can feel my abdomen tighten in anticipation and even though my face gives away nothing I'm just hair width away from smirking victoriously. I normally don't think things like did, but I can feel that my life is just about to change. For better or worse, with a single order I will change everything for myself.

How long have we worked for this? Months. Months of theorizing, researching, constructing, calibrating… months of endless working. I have sweated _blood_ for this project. With so much work behind me, it's not really such a wonder that I'm excited.

"Power levels are at sixty-two percent," one of the lab technicians speaks softly, his eyes on the screen of a computer.

Another writes something on another computer's keyboards. "Sixty-percent limit reached. Activating shield," she speaks and I hear a soft humming sound. "Shield is staying steady," she sounds relieved.

The first technician speaks again. "Sixty-four percent."

If I were any less controlled, I would've already sighed in attempt of calming myself down. Instead I just control my breathing and hold the emotions inside my body, nothing escaping my cool exterior. Sadly for me, there is one person in this room who always sees through my attempts of concealing my emotions. "You're nervous," he speaks from behind me. "And you being nervous makes me nervous. Do you really believe this attempt to be wise, master Seto?"

I glance at the chief of my security and my personal bodyguard over my shoulder and break away from my usual calmness. I smirk at him. "I've worked my ass off for this. Give me some credit, there's nothing to be nervous about." I nearly cringe at the way my voice sounds. It's almost husky with all hidden emotions and excitement.

"Yet you are," he smiles at me serenely. Like usually he is leaning casually into the metal wall, his arms crossed over his chest and looking nothing like bodyguard should. With his height and limberness and the sheer peacefulness of his expressions, no one ever thinks he can be a bodyguard, not to even mention about him being _the_ best bodyguard in town. He looks just plain wimpy for that not to mention that he is only sixteen and that he dresses like goth mixed with punk. Yet I've lost count of how many times he had thrown himself before the bullet for me, how many people he has killed for me, how many people he has hospitalised. People may underestimate him but I know I couldn't ask for better protection.

"Just because I want this to work," I smirk again before turning to look forward again. "You supervised the safety procedures yourself, you know nothing can go wrong."

"I've learned to not trust those words, master Seto. There is always something that can go wrong. Nothing is absolute," his answer is calm, almost teasing.

"Seventy percent," one of the lab technicians says.

"Perhaps so, but I get as close as human can to it," I murmur and let my smirk melt into frown while I stare into containment chamber. He's right though. This is nothing like the projects we have done before - hologram technology, new type of flight technology, super computers… they all pale in comparison. This is something that has never been done before, so no matter how well we prepare from the unknown there is really no way of knowing if it's enough.

"Seventy-eight percent."

"Where Mokuba is right now?" I ask from my chief of security suddenly needing to know that he isn't in the building.

"He is at the mansion, master Seto," he answers easily, sounding just slightly amused just like he always does when I doubt him. It's justified though. I know he wouldn't let my little brother stay anywhere near this place in the time of the test firing. While he is first and foremost _my_ bodyguard, he protects Mokuba just the same, if not for any other reason then because Mokuba is important to me. Worrying over my brother is stupid with him around - him and Mokuba's own bodyguard who was personally trained him. "Ryô's with him."

"Good," I just nod and try to concentrate onto the project again. His blatant distrust towards his _own_ safety measures of this project has gotten me nervous though. I don't like it when he says things like that because he usually has the tendency of being right. For a moment I wonder if I should pull the plug… but I don't. I _know_ I've done everything I can with this, there's only the test firing left and I never back out from anything.

"Eighty-two percent," the technician monitoring the power output says. "Primary power level reached."

"Shield threshold reached," the female lab technician says. "Raising power levels to hundred and twenty percent."

"Starting warm-up," another technician says. I watch with mixed feeing as the rings within the containment chamber start to spin, slowly but steady picking up speed. Soon they are spinning so fast that it looks like they start to spin backwards and the air itself starts to bend around them.

My body guards steps forward and takes stand beside me. I glance at him and he smiles back calmly, but the reddish tint in his usually amethyst eyes tells a tall tale. He's feeling agitated, doesn't like this. But when ever has he liked the things I do?

"Power level is holding."

"Shield is stable and holding."

"The machine is green and ready for test firing."

For a moment I look at him. He wants me to stop this but he doesn't say it aloud. He knows that if he would, I wouldn't listen and he never starts an argument he can't win. For a moment I wonder what he feels about me right now. Is he angry, disappointed? You can never really tell because he never stops smiling. He could hate me right now and I wouldn't be able to tell.

"Start the sequence," I order and turn my eyes away from his. From the corner of my eyes I see him raise his chin slightly and straighten his back. I ignore his subtle show of dislike, knowing that this is not even nearly first and never the last time I disappoint him. He just has to live with it.

"Powering up the inner ring," yet another technician speaks. "Three, two, one, mark." We all hear the slight humming sound that starts within the containment chamber. It sounds almost like purr. Inside the containment chamber one of the spinning rings has started to emit a gentle glow that bends the air, creating smallest breach of light within the spinning machine. I smile. Good so far.

"Shield is holding steady."

"Power level is holding."

"Powering up the inner ring. Three, two, one, mark." Another humming sound that combines with the first one to create steady rhythm. Another glow joins the first one and the breach of light grows. It's almost beautiful. Power always is.

"Shied is holding…"

"Power level is fluctuating. Stabilising…" I glance at the technician as he writes sequences into the computer. Everything stops as he does it; all others wait for his word before they can continue - just like the procedure says. "Power level is now stable."

"Proceed," I give the word and they continue. I narrow my eyes s the final ring is activated and third glow joins the two first. It's perfect. Just like I imagined. I step closer to the containment chamber to look it more closely. The light is unlike anything I've ever seen before, it's truly beautiful.

"Powering up the outer ring…"

Last thing I see is flash of multicolour light and Yugi rushing to once again to take the blow for me.

x

Yugi is four years younger than I am. I met him when he was eight and I was twelve. For me it was just some days after my stepfather had committed a suicide. For him it was just few days after he had ran from the orphanage where he had lived after his grandfather had died in car crash. I'm sure he remembers the day just as well as I do. That day changed my life.

Still, in some of my nightmares, I remember what he had looked like back then. He still had the bruises caused by the caretaker of the orphanage who had beaten him for having such a peculiar hairstyle and being _weak_ and _girly_. He was skinny, malnourished to the point of starvation. The clothing on him had been oversized, the shirt handing on his bony shoulders like funny cape, except there was nothing funny in the way he had looked like.

I remember why I was there. I had run away from the mansion, from the butler who still, even after my stepfather's death, tried to make me study like crazy. Mokuba had been in his school, I remember. Unlike I who was taught by private tutors and such, Mokuba went to public school as he wasn't the so called heir of the business. No one expected miracles from him, but I… if anything I did was something short of brilliant, they got mad at me.

I know that I wasn't running away in that never-coming-back fashion. I had just wanted a break, a breather. I hadn't seen the world outside the mansion for years, hadn't done anything fun… I wanted to relax, and not be smart for a moment. Someone saw me, though, someone who was enemy of the Kaiba Corporation - _my_ corporation. I remember hearing someone yell after me, man in black suit and sunglasses… I did the only thing I could, I ran.

That's how I ended up in that particular alleyway and met Yugi. He was sitting in the ground behind some trashcans. Because he told me I now know that he wasn't as miserable as he looked, he was actually kind of content sitting there, but then… he was just inch way of being par with those starving children from Africa you see in charity programs.

I stumbled on his feet and fell flat to my face. He helped me up, more concerned about me than of his foot over which I had just stepped. I didn't really pay attention to his foot either but to my defence I have to say that back then I was too wild with fear of being kidnapped to notice. He noticed my fear though. Before I knew I was pushed into hole within the wall against which Yugi had been sitting. There was small cave like alcove in that hole, I think Yugi slept his nights there back then. Not that it mattered much. What did matter was that Yugi pushed me in, and then sat back down to cover the hole as if nothing had happened. The man chasing after me ran pass him, not even noticing. Yugi saved me.

Only after the danger had passed I noticed the state of Yugi's foot. It was red and swelling. When I panicked over it, guilty for causing the pain in the boy who saved me, Yugi just smiled and told me not to worry about him and to on my way. I pushed the matter, saying that he needed to go to hospital. He just smiled wider, assured that he was fine and urged me to go. I think we argued it for half an hour before he finally started to bend. I think it took pain of having a broken ankle and my nagging to make him relent. It was the first and last time Yugi bended to my will.

Somehow we made our way to the hospital. From there I called to my butler and had him settle the whole thing. I paid Yugi's operation. When Yugi told me that he had ran from an orphanage and that he didn't want to go back, I vowed to make things better for him. He had saved me and I had broken his ankle, so some kind of compensation was in order.

So after being released from hospital Yugi came to live with us in the mansion. Mokuba was jealous of Yugi at first, thinking that I had gotten another little brother of something like that… but Yugi isn't exactly the little brother type of person. He is his own kind of person and to this day I have never met anyone like him.

If you have equation of life-debt and broken ankle against hospital bill and place to live, you'd think that the two first ones are a bit heavier than the latter ones. I at least considered it to be that way, considered myself indebted to Yugi. Yugi, however, saw it in other light. He thought he was indebted to me and to this day I haven't been able to turn his head around about that.

Yugi… acted like my servant, did all he could to serve me. Nothing I said made him stop. That sadistic butler of mine just loved it, bossing Yugi around about everything. He had Yugi clean, do laundry and dishes; even serve me and Mokuba our dinner even while Yugi had his foot in a cast. Yugi himself never complained and never listened to anything I said. He woke us up in the morning, made our beds, cleaned our rooms… he started to learn from the other servants about being servant; he even started to lean how to cook, just to serve me.

I tried _everything_, even Mokuba tried… but Yugi didn't listen and he didn't stop. It was a daily battle of wills between me and him, and he won every time. Whenever I started he would agree with everything I said with "yes, master Seto ", and "of course, master Seto", but he never _did_ as I said. He just slid through every argument with agreeing smile and nods, and then he would continue as he had. It was infuriating. Within weeks I was at the end of my rope with him, until I got idea of distracting him.

When Yugi's cast came of, I suggested he went to school, just like Mokuba, just like I was going to do as soon as I could fire that annoying butler of mine. To this day I curse that stupid idea. The first thing Yugi did when he got to the school was to search for ways he could serve me better. He asked the teachers, the councillors… and some idiotic shoujo-manga reader said that best way to show admiration to someone was to protect them.

Of course, I didn't know anything about it back then. When Yugi came to me, asking if he could start learning martial arts, I was happy. I thought he was finally distracted from me and living for himself. Not to mention that thought he needed martial arts - he was bullied a little because of his size so he needed a way to protect himself. I was so stupid. That was the beginning of Yugi's self-proclaimed training and damn if he didn't pass with flying colours. I didn't notice anything, when he asked to start learn another style after the first one and another after that, I just paid for it all… he managed to turn eleven before I realised what he was doing.

I remember that day just as well as I remember the day I met him. I was fifteen then, taking over the control of the Kaiba Corporation, tricking the executives to give their shares to me. One of them got very pissed at me for what I was doing. In disguise of business meeting, he came to the manor with two guys who as soon as we were seated started to point guns as me. I honestly thought I was going to die, before that the thought that I might need bodyguards had never crossed my mind.

Thankfully I already had one. I remember the awe, confusion and shock that flushed through me as I saw Yugi move. He was so fast, so graceful, so skilful… so very deadly. It lasted only some seconds before everything was over. In the end Yugi was standing before me pointing their guns at them and the two guys who came with my ex-executive were beaten unconscious.

I raved and ranted at him for risking his life like that and he took it calmly, again nodding and agreeing verbally with no intentions of doing as I said. He became my bodyguard and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. After that there was no meeting I attended without him, no interview and no outing. The only times I was free of his presence was when he was in school - even when I slept he was protecting me. At first he was sleeping outside the door until I gave in and allowed him to sleep in my room, seeing that he wasn't going to leave my presence.

After one bad attack to my person that ended us in deserted island and then Yugi in hospital for a while, I tried to make him change his mind by hiring other bodyguards… that was a mistake. The other bodyguards, adults with experience and training, belittled Yugi and made great deal of fun of him. It was no wonder really, at age of eleven Yugi looked more like nine-year-old because of his height and natural slimness. The bodyguards were forced to change their minds when Yugi had beaten each and every one of them in hand to hand combat, though. After that they did not only respect Yugi, but followed his orders. Youngest of them was twenty eight, and still each and every one of them looked up to Yugi, an eleven-year-old, as their chief.

They taught Yugi to use firearms too. He still continued to learn martial arts, though; before he turned thirteen he was winning championships. He went to school for a while, but eventually stopped going there either, saying that everything he needed to learn he could learn on his own better. Before he turned fourteen he kicked out our old butler and took his place - well, the butler actually resigned but the bruises and his scared attitude when he was handing his resignation screamed that Yugi had something to do with it.

Eventually I just stopped arguing with Yugi and left my and Mokuba's lives at his hands, as it seemed that he lived to protect them. It's not like I actually had any choice. Yugi doesn't control my life, he just manages it. I do what I want to do, run my company, invent new things and so forth and so forth and he stands by my side, close enough to stop anything that might threaten my life. People who don't know about him laugh at the idea that he is my bodyguard, but within certain circles he is considered a legend. In some circles within bodyguards, people look up to him. In some circles of assassins and hit-men there is not a single person who dares to come after me because of Yugi.

x

I wake up to the scent of food and sand, strangely enough. I feel that I'm laying on something semi hard and that there is something soft underneath my head - it's not a pillow though. I can hear wind as it rustles as if blowing through long hay or grass and I also hear rippling of water. None of these things belong to my company building.

Cracking one eye open, I'm nearly blinded by sunlight that glares right down at me from the clear sky. Annoyed I turn my face away from it and rub my hand across my eyes. Strange… my hand feels light. It doesn't usually feel this easy to move it - not to mention that after you've just woken up you're supposed to feel _heavy_, not light.

"You're finally awake, master Seto," familiar voice says and I open my eyes again to sea Yugi sitting not too far away from me. He's sitting on grass. Before a camp fire. Where I see a bird of some sort roasting. And none of it seems right.

"What the hell?" I ask and quickly sat up. Ignoring how easy it had been to sit up, I look around in confusion and amazement. I'm sitting on grass just like he is. We're almost in the shade of some palm trees. There's small crystal clear puddle just few meters away from me. Around the palm trees there are some interesting looking bushes and fern like plants. And beyond them… I see dunes. Yeah, none of this is right.

"Where the hell are we?" I turn to Yugi who is tending to the fire. He has undressed his usual leather jacket, making me realise that my head was just resting on the folded leather.

"I don't know, master Seto. I woke up from there," he points at the dunes with carefree smile, "with you just little further away from me. I saw the shade and thought it was better for you to rest here than in the sand." He turns the bird carcass in the stick so that it would roast from other side as well.

I blink and frown before quickly standing up - again with unnatural ease - and looking around again. Were at an oasis and there's dunes all around us closing in on us like golden waves. Yeah, this place is definitely _not_ anywhere near my company building. How did we end up here? Last thing I remember was the test firing of the Energy Conductor… and flash of light. Shit, something did go wrong. There were talks about this with my scientists, but the risk of this happen had been so astronomically small that had never considered it possible. Not to mention that it had sounded absolutely ridiculous in the first place.

"You know where we are, master Seto?" Yugi sounds almost amused. "Enlighten me?"

"I _may_ know where we are," I mutter with a frown before rubbing my hand across my face. "How well did you understand the Energy Conductor project?"

"I'm not good at all in that scientific stuff, you know that, master Seto," Yugi smiles in carefree fashion as if nothing could rattle his cage. "I know it had something to do with energy."

I sigh and fold my hand. "You know the quantum theory of alternate realities, right? About how universe is endlessly multiplying with each choice we take so that every possible outcome of our every possible choice exist somewhere in this multilayered multi-universe?"

"Well, I know now," Yugi nods amusedly. "I guess the Conductor project had something to do with this theory?"

"We were trying to connect a thin layer of compressed energy that separates alternate realities from each other," I nod. "Draw some of that energy into our reality. We theorised that it would be unlike anything we have on earth and that it would be possibly endless source of power…"

"And you know what went wrong with it, hm, master Seto?"

"Well… there was always small risk - incredibly small mind you - that instead of drawing the energy we would breach through the layer opening a portal of sorts between realities," I shake my head. "I didn't think that it would be possible though. The layer between realities isn't actually thin; I thought it would be like drilling into earth's crust with dentist's drill. Not to mention that because the layer shifts endlessly it actually heals itself when it's impacted."

Yugi eyes me for a moment before shrugging and tending to the bird meat again. "So, we're in another reality then. This certainly tops the deserted island thing," he notes amusedly before glancing me. "What shall we do now, master Seto?"

I sigh and sit back down. "No idea," I mutter with annoyed tone. "This wasn't supposed to happen so I haven't prepared for this," I think about it for a while. "I guess we could wait for them to figure out what went wrong and maybe send some help, but…. They might never be able to recreate circumstances, unless we created a portal machine instead of Conductor…"

"Hmm…" Yugi eyes me for a moment before smiling and nodding. Then he pulls out his battle knife and cuts a piece of the meat he's roasting over the fire. Tasting it, he looks satisfied before motioning me over. "Come and eat, master Seto."

"How did you catch that bird anyway? Or made a fire?" I ask while approaching him and sitting beside him.

"I threw a rock at it and I have a lighter," Yugi smiles while cutting pieces of the meat and handing them to me. I grimace at the thought of eating such food in such way but the look in his amethyst eyes leaves no space for arguments. "I think I'm physically a bit stronger here than I was back in home because the bird died with single shot."

The meat is surprisingly good. Where did he get spices from? "Hmm…" I frown slightly at what he said. Yes, it is strangely easy to move in here. I feel stronger, livelier. "I think this place might have lower gravity than our Earth has," I muse thoughtfully. "It makes it feel like we're stronger," I look at him thoughtfully. "Try jumping."

Looking confused, he stands up and jumps. I've seen his physical feats before and they had never been anything short of impressive - lithe and short or not, years of hard training has left Yugi with fair share of strength. This is somewhat different through, because I've never seen anyone jump that high without leverage of a pole.

Landing with his usual grace, he looks intrigued about his own feat of strength. "That was new," Yugi shrugs and sits back down with a smile. "Well, at least we're not helpless in this place, hm, master Seto?"

"I suppose not," I sigh. It's not like anything could threaten me with him around anyway. "How long do you think we could survive here, on this oasis?"

"Two weeks, maybe," Yugi answers. "Unless the grass and leafs are edible, which I doubt."

I nod. "Maybe we should look for civilisation or something from around here. If there is any. Not that there is any way of knowing if we even speak the same languages than the people around here do…"

"Don't be such a pessimist, master Seto," Yugi berates me gently. "Who knows, maybe this all will turn out okay. Maybe they'll have way of getting us back home."

"Right," I snort and shake my head. "I can't understand how you can be so calm and easy going about everything. Every time something happens you take it on a stride as if it was every day thing - this too!"

"I'm just adjusted, master Seto. I hope for best and prepare for the worst," Yugi shrugs in his casual way before continuing to cut pieces from the roasted bird. "We can't head out of the oasis right away though, not without preparing. There's no way of knowing how long we need to walk in the desert in search for people…"

I'm not worried about any of that. I'm too used to being cared by him to worry about trivial things like that. Instead I just nod and eat the pieces of meat he hands to me. "How long will these preparations take?" I ask, knowing than when he says we need to prepare it will be he who will be doing the preparations.

"We'll be good to go by morrow, that is if this place has same day cycle as the one back home," he smiles to me in the fashion that I know that I'm right not to worry. I snort and smile as well. Being stranded in another reality doesn't seem even nearly as bad thing as it should be with him around. But then again, everything is easier when he is there.

x

The first time Yugi really bled for me was shortly after he had became my bodyguard, back when I was fifteen and he was still eleven. It was still around the time when I was taking over my own company from the other executives and I had enemies and rivals all around. One of them was in position where he would get the whole deal if I died, so he was pretty persistent about killing me.

Somehow he managed to infiltrate my company with two thugs of his - one was helicopter pilot and another just low level henchmen. It was before Yugi had taken over the security, so it was my old chief of security who was in charge of placing the two of them in same helicopter with me and Yugi. On our way towards yet again another meeting, they started to point guns at me and Yugi.

I'm not sure what happened after wards and Yugi never really told me. All I know that I next woke up in a beach with Yugi sitting beside me, using his torn shirt to bandage his bleeding thigh. When I tried to ask about it he just smiled and assured me that he was okay, that it was just a scratch until I let it be. Then he left to inspect where we were, telling me to stay put. I think watching him limp into the woods was one of the strangest things I have ever done because there I was, fifteen-year-old CEO of multimillion company, obeying a wounded eleven-year-old.

The island where we were was deserted one - there had never been any inhabitants there. We had no way of communicating with the outside world, no food, nothing… now that I think about it; it kind of reminds me of all those annoying reality shows about survivors and such.

I could've been worse off, though. I could've been stranded there without Yugi. In those two weeks we spend there, Yugi kept me alive. Never whining about his wound, he searched for food and cooked it, making me feel utterly useless as I watched him do it. He made shelter for us and made the two weeks actually kind of liveable…

We were eventually found, thanks to Mokuba. Yugi was taken to hospital where I found out that the "scratch" was actually rather bad flesh wound that ran deep and long across his thigh. And not only was the wound itself bad, but by the time we got to the hospital it was infected badly. The doctors had been baffled about how he could stand the pain, stay conscious not to even mention about walking. I think I've never felt that guilty in my life. Yugi had been wounded that badly, and still had just looked after me, not caring about himself at all…

But that's the way he is, and it certainly wasn't the last time he bled for me. He has taken countless beatings and wounds for me, and never once has he whined about it. I think he was also electrocuted few times by stunners. I know for a fact that there are exactly five little round scars on his back and three on his front, mementos of bullets. I know that there is three long cuts in his back, two of them run over his shoulder blades and one over his spine in his lower back. Moreover, he has one scar in his stomach, a stab wound that nearly killed him.

All for me, and I still don't know why he thinks I'm worth it. I certainly don't think I am.

x

Just like technologies are my business, survival is Yugi's, and I'll be damned if he isn't master of it. It's almost fascinating watch him turn his leather jacked into perfectly functioning water skin via the use of his knife. With the ease of someone who does this kind of thing all the time, he cuts the jacket apart, makes small threads out of it by cutting thin slices from it, he somehow toughens the leather with mixture of sand, sun and water and soon… he's carrying few litres of water in it.

Using the left over leather he makes a satchel. Once that is done, he picks up handful of stones and kills three more birds that live by the oasis with frightening ease. One can really see the difference between this world and our own, the ease of his throws is almost admirable and so is the immediate result. As I cool myself by the oasis, he plucks the feathers, guts the birds and cuts their meat into small slices which he then dries by the fire and in the sun light so that they will last longer.

"You're really amazing," I shake my head while using my expensive button-up shirt as rag with which I smooth water over my skin. There isn't enough water in the oasis for a swim, so this has to do. "How do you know how to do things like that?"

"After the island incident I read lot about survival, took few courses…" Yugi shrugs while tending to the fire. Its remarkable how he, in his black leather pants and shirt sleeveless as it may be, doesn't seem to be bothered by the heat at all. The layer of perspiration on his skin begs to differ, though. "Just in case something like that would happen again."

"Ah. Go figure," I murmur and raise the wet fabric to my neck. Because he's the only one around me, I don't bother hiding the sigh of appreciation as the cool water runs down my back. My physique doesn't like this place at all, and my skin agrees with my physique.

"Being shirtless won't help, master Seto," Yugi notes calmly without even looking up.

"I don't care, I'm hot," I murmur and glance at him. "How can you sit around fire in this accursed heat?" I ask in slightly accusing tone. I know exactly why but at this moment I'm too annoyed to think straight. "You have even paler complexion that I do."

"That maybe so, master Seto," he agrees easily. "Yet, if I succumb to the annoyance as you have, who will tend to the meat?"

"Can't the meat wait?" I don't really know why I'm pushing this. Maybe I just want to get some normal reaction out of him. I hate it when he takes strange situations like these with such ease. It makes him seem kind of inhuman and at times it gets creepy.

"Not if I want it done before evening, master Seto," he glances at me and smiles. "You really should put your shirt back on, sir. Like that you might get sunburns… which reminds me, we may have to sacrifice your shirt or your jacket."

"What? Why?" I look at him curiously.

"We need to protect our necks from the sun, heatstroke is last thing we need," Yugi shrugs while using his knife to flip the pieces of meat around the heated stones he is using to dry them. "Shirt or jacket, your pick, master Seto."

"Jacket, I don't see why I would need it in this place anyway," I mutter and spread my balled shirt into its usual form before pulling it on. It's still wet from the oasis and feels absolutely heavenly. "It's hot enough as it is."

"You might want to consider that, nights can be quite cold in places like this," he warns me.

"Well, you ripped your jacket into pieces."

"That is because we need something to carry water in, master Seto," he reminds with slight amused smile. Then he finally shows a sign of discomfort by tugging on the thick leather collar that has been around his neck for years.

"Hot?" I ask and for some reason I feel a little satisfied.

He chuckles. "You want me to be?"

"Misery loves company."

He just shakes his head in amusement and continues his work with the meat. When our so called lunch is done, he takes my jacket and starts to systematically cut it into pieces. Soon both of us have scarf's which will protect our necks from the glare of the sun.

"I bet I look stupid with this thing on," I mutter while Yugi places the simple scarf onto my head, to cover my hair and flow down past my shoulders.

"Better stupid than over heated, master Seto," Yugi answers easily and tugs on the scarf a bit. He's already wearing his scarf, and to my annoyance he at least makes it look good. He looks somewhat foreign like this; I guess I'm too adjusted to his weird hairstyle. "There, if there's a wind it won't blow it away."

"Hmm, thanks, I suppose," I touch the fabric covering my hair curiously and am mildly satisfied to find that it flows smoothly instead of having bumps and bulges. "Now what?"

Yugi looks up to the sky, which is getting darker as the sun sinks into the horizon. "Now we sleep, I suppose," he shrugs. "And head out in the morning."

Sleep doesn't come easily with this heat and light, but when it does it's uneasy and fleeting. It feels like I just closed my eyes when I wake up shivering. Sun has gone down and it's _cold_, really cold. Annoyed, I glance towards the ring of stones where Yugi had the small fire before, hoping that maybe if I shifter closer I could get some warmth… but the ashes have been cold for a while now. Then I notice that I don't see Yugi anywhere near by.

Sitting up I look around, forcing myself to not panic. It's been over three years since Yugi stopped going to school and with it ever leaving my presence. He's there when I sleep, when I eat, work… he isn't that far away when I shower either. I've gotten so adjusted to his presence that when he _isn't_ there… I automatically assume that something is horribly wrong.

Then I see him standing bit away from the oasis, in the sand. He's staring up to the starry sky. Confused and sure that I can't find my sleep in this cold, I get up and go to him. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out where we are," he answers, glancing at me and smiling. "Can't sleep, master Seto?"

"I got cold," I murmur and look up to the sky as well. "Don't tell me that you can navigate from the stars, Yugi."

"I'm not good at it, but I do know something," he chuckles, and looks at me more closely - or at the collar of my shirt. I look down with confusion and realise he's staring at the golden KC-logo that's pinned to the collar. Looking up to him with confusion, I find him thinking something before he looks at me again. "Can I have that, master Seto?" he asks, motioning the pin. "I would need the needle in it."

"Why do you need it?" I ask even while I remove the pin from the collar.

"I'll try making a compass," he answers examining the pin. "Good, the needle isn't gold," he murmurs and easily breaks the pin apart from the golden logo. He hands the gold to me and walks back into the shade of the palm trees. Curious, I follow him to see what he'll do.

In the shade he opens the triangle-shaped silver buckles of his shirt, revealing that the buckle is just for show and the leather shirt is held closed by magnetic buckles underneath the silver ones. Curious, I watch as he magnetises he needle he took from the pin by pulling it along one of the magnets few times. "Hold this for a moment," he hands the needle for me before picking up few rocks from the oasis. Then he stones one of the palm trees until one of the nuts hanging underneath the large leafs falls.

"You're such a MacGyver," I murmur amusedly as he breaks the nut open cleanly from the middle, causing the coconut milk seep into the grass. "Is that edible?" I look at the seed that was inside curiously.

"I actually don't know," Yugi shrugs before starting to carve the inside of the nut-shell with his knife. Deciding that if Yugi doesn't know its best not to try, I leave the nut to the other half of the shell and just watch what he does. After carving most of the white inner meat out, he fills the shell with water. After that he takes a small piece of wood from the ashes of the earlier fire, and motions me to give the needle to him. He pierces the wood with the needle and then gently places the wood-needle thing into the water in the coconut-shell. Then he places the shell down to the grass.

I chuckle as the needle starts to turn slowly. "How did you know to do that anyway?" I ask curiously.

"Books," he smiles, looks down to the needle before looking up to the sky again. "I think we're somewhere in northern Africa… possibly near the Nile."

"In Egypt?" I grimace. "No wonder it was hot in the day."

He nods thoughtfully. "It would be good to know at which side of the Nile we are though. Walking towards it is our best bet of finding people, but without knowing which way to go we might unconsciously walking away from it…" he glances at me. "How is it that we came from our world's Japan to this world's Egypt, master Seto?"

"The entrance point is far from definite," I shrug. "World spins too much and too fast for entrance and exit to exist in exact points. We might've fallen anywhere, like into pacific ocean, if we hadn't been this lucky."

"Ah," he nods, and I'm not sure if he understands or not. I doesn't seem to matter to him, though. "Maybe we should try sleeping now, hm?" he raises his eyebrows.

"In this cold?" I ask and suppress a shiver. He chuckles and makes inviting motion. Even if the other servants, bodyguards and even Mokuba have asked some embarrassing questions about it, I'm glad of our natural intimacy as I lay down beside him, allowing him to warp his arms around me. We've been sleeping in each other's presence for too long for it to bother us anymore.

"I'll keep you warm," he promises to me, pressing a little bit closer to share his body warmth with me. I relax in his hold and close my eyes, already feeling a bit warmer. "Goodnight, master Seto," he murmurs to my hair and then we're quiet, waiting for sleep to come.

xx

This was originally supposed to be oneshot, but it was getting so long that I decided to chop it into parts. Like you might've figured out already, this is an alternate universe fic, people are being somewhat out of character, and so forth. There will be yaoi, and there will be sex, thus the rating. Whole thing will be written in Seto's point of view. And reviews are, as always, much appreciated :)


	2. Second part

**My shield, my sword **

** Second part**

I remember the time when Yugi started to sleep my room. It was a bit awkward at first, for me at least. He would sleep in the couch - which I knew to be extremely uncomfortable and hard - while I slept in the king sized bed alone. At first I felt embarrassed that he was there - even though I was adjusted to sleeping with Mokuba now and then because of my little brother's nightmares, Yugi was a different thing. Then I started to feel guilty because he was sleeping on that uncomfortable couch.

And he, in his usual fashion, didn't complain. If I hadn't know that the couch was hard as rock, I would've thought he was rather comfortable sleeping on the thing. Yet I knew better and with each night he spent on the thing I felt a little guiltier, until I had to suggest getting him his own bed in my room. He of course declined, saying that he was fine on the couch and didn't want to be a bother - and he didn't let me get him a new bed behind his back either.

Mokuba was the reason why he stopped sleeping on the couch. Mokuba was nine at the time, and he had had a nightmare. And like always he wanted to sleep with me for the rest of the night - said that it made him feel safer. I allowed it of course, he was my little brother and I loved him.

Mokuba saw Yugi on the couch and figured that it was my fault, that I was making my bodyguard sleep on the couch. My brother accused me of it for half an hour in the middle of the night while Yugi pretended to sleep, and I couldn't get a word through, couldn't tell him that I had tried to get Yugi a normal bed… Mokuba's solution for it in any case was simple. "Pick him up and bring him here."

I'm absolutely certain that Yugi was awake when I carried him into my bed - which wasn't as easy as it sounds. Yes, I'm taller than Yugi by far, but Yugi is far from being as light as he looks. There is not a single ounce of fat in his body, no, but he has been training martial arts since he was eight in ever increasing pace. And muscle weights more than fat. I'm pretty sure he had fun faking sleep while I struggled to carry him.

In any case, Yugi has slept with me in the king sized bed since. At first no one thought anything about it, and why should they? He was only eleven and I was fifteen. But… then he was fourteen and I was eighteen.

Yugi was back then - as he is now - the pearl of my security, loved by my workers and the other security- and bodyguards, their pride. Since he took control of the security my company has been safer in many ways. He has always been a very easy person to like if you could understand him, warm and kind… he is especially liked among the security guards. So, when the guards heard from Mokuba that Yugi sleeps in my bed, there was lot of playful jeering and taunting. No harm in that, Yugi knew the other guards and they knew Yugi well enough for anyone to get insulted about that.

But someone else heard the jokes and I had and always will have lot of enemies. Gods, what a mess that was. I was investigated from statutory rape, corruption of a minor, child sexual abuse… they had many words for it. They searched the house, the bedroom and most importantly the bed… It wouldn't have been that bad if Yugi hadn't stopped an assassination attempt on my person on that bed. It had happened few months earlier, Yugi was shot two times before he managed to get the assassin. So, his blood was on the bed.

The whole thing was all over the press. It was very delicious case to them, millionaire president of famous corporation, and the young security expert whom he had picked from the streets when they were young… I think someone wrote a book about it. In any case I was questioned, interrogated, heck they nearly sued me… and then Yugi stopped it very easily by taking all possible tests. They did find out all of the many injuries Yugi had gained while protecting me, but no scar tissue in his rectum, new or old. They could prove that Yugi did sleep in my bed, but nothing more than that.

The rumours still fly, but we don't really care about them. Yugi actually seems rather amused about them.

x

I rub my eyes, still lying on my back on the grass while I look up. "What are you doing?" I ask in confusion, looking up to the palm tree where Yugi is at the moment. He's bare footed and looks something short of a monkey while climbing up. He glances at me over his shoulder before steadying his feet to crook on the trunk and hugging it with his knees to get his hands free.

"Breakfast, master Seto," he answers with a smile and reaches for something in that's concealed within the large leafs. He shows it to me. It's small oval shaped object. "How about fried eggs?"

I chuckle while sitting up. "How did you know there was a nest there?"

"I figured that the birds had some reason sticking around here than just the water," he shrugs and gathers the small eggs into the satchel he made of the excess material of my jacket. "There aren't many of them, but it's better than nothing," he says and pushes down from the palm tree. The drop is over five meters, but he lands easily as if it wasn't a drop at all.

"How do you plan to - ah, never mind," I murmur at the sight of the stone stove he has created over the fire. "I need to stop asking stupid questions."

"You can't ask stupid questions, master Seto, just ignorant ones," Yugi smiles and walks to the fire. I snort and stand up, stretching away he kinks that have managed to find their way into my body during the night. Then I glance up to the sky. It isn't quite morning yet.

"So, which way shall we go?" I ask while stretching my arms.

"We can't go east or west without risk of going into wrong direction. I don't know much about south… so, north is our best bet," Yugi answers while breaking the eggs to the large stone he has raised over the fire. They start to sizzle immediately, sign that the stone has been over the fire for a while. "It's pretty easy direction to navigate to too."

"Good," I nod and hiss at the feeling of one muscle in my neck which sends a horrible twinge of pain when I move my head to one direction.

Yugi looks at me sharply. "Are you in pain, master Seto?" he asks, immediately worried.

"Just a stiff muscle, nothing serious," I shake my head.

"Any pain you feel is serious. Come here," he motions me to come closer. I sigh, knowing that he won't let it be unless he has had a chance to check me and see if he can do anything for me. I sit next to him, turning my back to him. "Where?" he asks, raising one hand to run along my spine while tending to the eggs with another.

"To right and little up." I murmur and let out a slight hiss when he hits the spot. He chuckles and starts to gently rub along the muscle, knowing just what to do to make it relax. You don't practice martial arts like he does and not learn thing or two about human anatomy. And then there is the fact that he also knows Shiatsu and little bit of acupuncture…

"Lack of pillow," he says thoughtfully. "Easy to fix like this, but on a long run…"

"Not many pillows around here," I snort.

"I'm here, you'll just rest your head on me next time," Yugi says. I sigh a little at the thought of him once again doing everything he can to safe me from smallest things when I can't help him with his at all. He could be in horrible pain right now, and I wouldn't be able to tell.

"You really need to get a life of your own," I murmur and not for the first time.

"You're my life, master Seto," he answers like he has many times.

"There should be more."

"I'm content with what I have." He brushes his fingers over my neck final time. "There. That better?"

"Thanks," I nod and glance at him with a frown. "You really don't want anything else from your life? No other career, no house of your own, girlfriend, something, anything? Friends outside work?"

"Not really, master Seto," Yugi laughs. "My life is just as I want it to be."

"Even here? In this place?" I ask disbelievingly. He just smiles and turns back to tend to the food.

x

He has never really had a life beyond my immediate proximity, Yugi. Not really even before we met, before the orphanage when he was living with his grandfather. What he remembers and what the records say tell that Yugi's parents died very soon after he was born and he went to his old grandfather who only barely could look after him well enough. By the time of five Yugi was more looking after the old man than he was looking after Yugi.

Maybe that's where he gets the servitude from. Already at early age, he was looking after someone, cleaning up after them. Yugi was the one who washed the dishes in his and his grandfather's house and he was the one who cleaned to house - he probably did the laundry too. By the time he was six he did the groceries and fixed easy cheap microwave meals for his grandfather, who was sick a lot and usually spend his time on the couch.

Sugoroku, Yugi's grandfather, died while on way to home from his friend's place. Yugi was home waiting with dinner when the police came for him, or at least that's what he told me. He told that he stayed at the police station for a while, during the questioning of the man who drove Sugoroku's car off the bridge. Then he was taken in by the child services before he was taken into the orphanage, as he didn't have any other living relatives.

He was in the orphanage for a month. The other orphans bullied him for his size, hairstyle and eagerness to help with everything. While most of the caretakers liked him and let him help, there were few who didn't, who loathed Yugi at first sight. One of them took it to the limit, and in secret punished Yugi for every little thing. Discipline he called it. I call it child abuse.

Eventually Yugi ran. When I think about it, I think he would've survived out there, on the streets. He's tough as nails when it comes to surviving. He would've made it and he would've probably made something great out of himself no matter what the circumstances were… yet I came along and broke his ankle. When I think about it from certain perspective, with that stumble I took Yugi's short lived freedom away from him, maybe for forever.

I've tried, though… tried to make him live is own life, distract him, allow him some kind of liberty from his self-proclaimed servitude. I hoped that in school he would find friends and maybe become his own person, but… I guess that wasn't to be. Whilst Yugi is easy person to like, he is difficult person to approach. He's misjudged so easily from afar because of what he looks like… that always makes it hard for people to make friends with him. In all honestly it's probably very easy to bully him for the same reason.

After Yugi had stopped going to school permanently and just concentrated on me and his bodyguard training, I still did try, though. Mokuba did too. We tried to introduce him to people, tried to show him how to have fun… to make him a normal kid. That didn't work out well either. It's hard for people to understand Yugi's nature when they don't understand his history. They either unknowingly insult him or belittle him because of his loyalty to me and because of his appearance.

Making him have fun didn't work that well either, he simply doesn't understand the point in having fun. He understands amusement, yes, but not as primary objective, as something to aim for. Amusement parks and such are completely beyond his understanding and if game doesn't involve strategy, he doesn't see the reason. He sometimes has difficulties grasping television too, he understands news and documentaries, but fictional drama series and such… they just confuse him.

If it doesn't serve a clear purpose it has no meaning to Yugi.

x

I've decided that I don't like deserts. Just walking on a beach is annoying as hell with all that sand slipping from underneath the sole of your foot, but whole desert of it? I don't like it. Even if Yugi is there to help me and he leads me along spots which are easier to walk over than others, I don't like this at all.

And the dunes seem never ending. Dunes on right, on left, front and back… I almost regret leaving the oasis behind, at least there was something else than just sand there. But no, I know we need to find people, need to determine the wealth of their knowledge and if their technology is enough to take us back home. Waiting for the idiots back my corporation to do something won't help, they'll probably spend months just trying to figure out what's wrong.

Which makes me think of Mokuba. Oh gods, what will Mokuba do with both me and Yugi gone? He's a smart kid, highly intelligent and very resilient not to mention that he has a quite skilled back bone that goes by the name of Ryô - Yugi's first and only student in the art of protecting someone. Ryô is to Mokuba what Yugi is to me, someone who never left his presence. With Ryô there, there are very few things which could threaten my little brother's life, yet…

Would Mokuba be worried, or sad? Knowing my little brother's devotion to me, I'm pretty sure that after finding out what had happened Mokuba will be spending is efforts to get us back, just like he did at the time of the deserted island thing. That thought brings a small smile to my lips. Whether it would take days, months or even years, I know Mokuba will search for us, will try to get us back home.

Almost unconsciously I touch the medallion that rest's on my chest. Not really much of a medallion, just a card-shaped locked that never leaves my neck. The shape is testimony to card game that kept the two of us sane around the time when our stepfather was still alive. Inside the locked there is a picture of Mokuba from back when we were kids. So that I would never forget, and that I always have my little brother with me.

That line of thought gives me some strength, and suddenly the desert doesn't seem as horrible as it really is. Looking up I see Yugi standing on the highest point of the ridge of the dune, looking around with sharp eyes. He has the water-skin and the bag of our food hanging across his back, held there by the ex-belt of his ex-jacket, and like before he doesn't look bothered in the least, not by the sand or the heat.

"What do you see?" I ask as I approach him.

"Nothing," Yugi shakes his head and glances at me. "You're not tired, are you master Seto?"

"I'm fine, you worry too much," I make a dismissing motion with my hand. "Shall we continue walking?" He nods and starts leading the way down the ridge toward another dune. Walking slightly after him to remain on the trail he has chosen - from earlier stumbles I know the sand is softer around the trail - I glance at him. "How long do you think we'll have to walk?"

"I don't really know, master Seto," He answers and smiles to me. "There's nothing to worry, though. Even if we have only little food, we have plenty of water. With rationing we can survive for days."

"Sounds like slow starving."

"Survival isn't always painless, master Seto, but it is better to survive uncomfortably than to die quickly."

x

No matter how guilty I am, no matter how I wish Yugi to get life of his own and stop living for me, I know for a _fact_ that Yugi is one of the best things that ever happened to me and Mokuba. He even tops Gozaburo's suicide on occasions. Not only has he saved our lives so many times that I lost the count, not only did he train Ryô to protect Mokuba, not only did he make my company more secure by hiring Malik and so on and so on… but he saved our very minds.

Mokuba and I… we didn't lead happy childhood. Our original parents were killed soon after Mokuba's birth - I was six back then, so I still remember some of them. I also remember the orphanage and how I fought to stay close to my helpless baby brother. Some people wanted to adopt him because he was still a baby - it's easier to take care and raise a baby than a child who still has memories of original parents, I suppose.

Then people found out about my IQ-level. Made me play games, do tests… it even made the local news; I was the "genius" of what-ever-the-place's-name-was-orphanage. Gozaburo liked my brain, thought that mind such as mine should be in his disposal, so he offered to adopt me… and I agreed in the condition that he would adopt Mokuba too. I thought that it would be our ticked to better life - Gozaburo was rich as king after all… I thought that this way Mokuba could have a good future.

Gozaburo turned out to be not what I expected - quite far from it in fact. I wasn't a six-year-old boy or a son to him, I was one of his workers and he expected results. I was allowed no toys or games at all, no story books, nothing. I had at least dozen private teachers who taught me everything he wanted me to learn. Languages, all kinds of sciences from simple math to quantum physics… and I needed to look after Mokuba in the mean while. I was my brother's keeper because there was no way Gozaburo would've hired a nanny for my brother.

But that was only beginning. Things got bad really quickly, starting with a single slap when I hadn't learned as well as I was supposed to. I still remember how I lay on the floor with bloody lip and how Gozaburo looked down with eyes wide with sudden euphoria. He had had power over me before, but that was the first time I was afraid of him and he loved it, loved the fact that he could make me afraid.

One slap turned into few, then more… I was seven when he punched me for the first time. Slowly but steadily he build up his hunger to hurt me, telling me to not to cry, to be a man… He never cut me though, oh no, he didn't want my skin scarred because he had plans for me that did not include me scarred…

For Mokuba I endured, for him I survived. I was eleven when I started to plan for our freedom. I needed to do something, Mokuba was already five and I was afraid for him, afraid that Gozaburo would start hurting him too. Still thick in my other studies, I studied medical substances in secret until I found the perfect mix of drugs to bring him down. Surprisingly enough I found them all in the medicine cabinet of the mansion. No one noticed me steal them - but that was no wonder, one pill from one bottle, second from another, third and fourth… I mixed them into quite dangerous mixture and fed it to my stepfather in his dinner - that was easy because he had me serve him most of the time.

I fed another dose in the next day, another in the next and the next… and enjoyed watching him turn horribly depressed in the thrall of the drugs. He tried to eat other medicine to get rid of the depression, but I had done my work well. He only got worse. Soon after I turned twelve he finally hung himself. It was surprise find out that he had left everything to me in his will, though.

In any case after years of physical abuse for me and mental abuse for Mokuba who was only five… neither of us was exactly sane. I hated everything in that mansion except Mokuba, I hated the servants, that accursed butler, I hated the Kaiba Corp…. hated and wanted to destroy it all. Mokuba was just a little bit twisted mentally, after watching Gozaburo abuse me my little brother had a crooked sense of reality and authorities. He expected everyone to hurt me because of him so he hated everyone even more than I did.

If things would've continued on their own, I think I would be cold hearted bastard, Mokuba would be a twisted bastard, and we would probably go around torturing and killing people just like Gozaburo did… but then I broke Yugi's ankle and he entered into our life like gently glowing light and warm breeze of wind.

We couldn't understand him. He yielded into my command automatically but with strange dominance. He lived for me, for us. He served us, helped us, did everything he could for us - I was his priority but he did serve Mokuba too. We couldn't understand why anyone would do that especially since it was really I who was indebted with Yugi. In our confusion we forgot to even think of being afraid or suspicious of Yugi, too concentrated in understanding and making him understand we didn't even notice that we had allowed him to get so near to us.

Yugi really is like a breeze. No matter how you raise your hands against him, he slips through softly and without leaving traces. Even before the bodyguard business… he was saving us. He took my mind away from my memories, he allowed Mokuba to be a child. He used to tell Mokuba bedtime stories - stories his grandfather had told him. I had pretty horrible nightmares around the time, but he helped me through them, held me through the night and sung to me.

Yugi kept us sane; he healed us… like gentle glow wiping away the memories of the darkness. Even if he is master of survival, he helped us master living.

x

We walk and walk and walk… now and then Yugi gives me piece of meat and sip of water, just enough to keep me from being hungry and parched, but not enough to fill my stomach or ease the insistent thirst. It's bearable and far from comfortable, but I know that Yugi's right. Survival isn't always painless and starving slowly is better than being content for a moment and then starving quickly.

I'm not used to walking. I walk fast, yes, but I only walk small distances. I never take the stairs and you don't take leisure walks when you have as many enemies as I do - usually I let armoured vehicles do my walking for me. My tallness usually fools people to believe that I'm physically strong, but in truth I'm very thin. Physical exercise just isn't my thing.

Gods, I don't remember being as happy as I'm when sun sets and Yugi finally slows down. I'm thankful for him for not showing pity to me along the day, for keeping the pace steady, but I'm still extremely relieved. My poor, poor legs… I like these shoes in office, but they don't belong in deserts. I hiss with half pain and half delight while I pull the shoes off - and I'm somewhat surprised my socks don't steam.

Yugi eyes me worriedly. "Are you okay, master Seto?"

"My feet have boiled, I swear," I murmur and fall flat to my back on the sand with a sigh. "This desert does horrible things to my ego - hey!" I look up with surprise as I feel something cool touch my burning feet. Yugi's hands. With guilty look on his face, he starts to gently massage my tortured feet. "What are you going?" I ask with confusion. My feet are slimy with sweat and probably smell like something unspeakable… what the heck is he doing touching my feet?

"It's my fault your feet are hurting, master Seto, it's only fair that I help the pain to pass," he smiles sadly. "I'm sorry for keeping up such fast pace. I thought that the quicker we walk, the closer we get to possible settlements…"

"It's okay," I relax on the sand and close my eyes, trying not to groan. He really knows what he's doing with his hands. "Why are we walking during the day anyway? Wouldn't it be easier to walk during the night?"

"We have no shade to rely on during the day, staying still heightens the risk of hyperthermia," Yugi answers. "And it gets very cold during the night… harsh breathing and cold air don't mix. Walking during the day and sleeping during the night may not be comfortable, master Seto, but right now it's the best way to go."

"I see," I nod tiredly. I push the scarf off from my head and rub my hand over my sweaty forehead before wiping my fingers over my eyes. "Maybe I should've used the gym back in the mansion," I murmur more to myself than to Yugi.

"No," he chuckles. "Physical exercise wouldn't suit you. You're thinker, master Seto, not a worker."

"Don't flatter me, I'm too tired to be impressed with myself," I can't help but smile. For years Yugi has kept me from doing any sort of physical labour. If there's something of the sort to be done, he does it for me. Says that he doesn't want physical work to task my intellectual brilliance. He sure knows how to make me feel good about myself.

Leaving my now more relaxed feet to rest on the sand, he moves to sit beside me. I open my eyes to look at him. After brushing his hands in the sand, he takes the water skin and the small bag holding our food. "Hungry, thirsty?" he asks softly.

"You know I am," I look at him blankly. He smiles sadly and opens the food bag. We don't eat much, just few pieces, but it's enough to settle my stomach. After eating he gives me a little water, before sealing the water skin tightly again.

"Now we should sleep, master Seto," Yugi says and lies down beside me. He doesn't hold me like he did last night; instead he guides my head to his chest so that I lay against his side. "Pillow," he reminds me of my earlier neck ache.

"Thanks," I murmur and close my eyes for a moment, just listening to his heartbeat. Steady and strong but with a soft echo. Opening my eyes half way, I stare at the dunes around us - they're turning darker as the sun sets. "What do you think Mokuba is doing now?" I ask softly.

"Right now? If it's evening in home too, he's still working on his computer, going through the reports from your workers," Yugi tells. "Going through the details, trying figure what went wrong, where we are and how he can help us. He would still be in the company building but Ryô wouldn't allow that. They're at the mansion. Most of the rooms are dark and Ryô is bringing Mokuba some hot chocolate…"

"You really think so?" I try to imagine what he does.

"Mokuba won't give up, and Ryô does his job too well to allow him to tire himself no matter how much he wants to continue trying. They're both fine but worried..." Yugi warps his arm around me to give me more warmth against the quickly cooling evening. "While Mokuba works for a way to get us back and Ryô concentrates on keeping up with your little brother and making sure he doesn't over do it, Malik will look over the company. He will close the market for now. Your workers will continue working as usual, but there will be no public announcements, no new products… nothing until you return to office or Mokuba takes the company up as the vice-president. Until Mokuba says differently, getting you back will be the primary objective of the entire company…"

I smile slightly. I know that what he says it's true, but hearing it is better than just thinking of it. Even if we are seemingly alone in this desolate place, my people are working a way to get to us. The thought warms me just as Yugi's body heat does.

"We're not as alone as it seems, master Seto. Mokuba will find us. Until then we just have to survive," Yugi whispers and rubs my upper back. "Now sleep. We must continue walking in the morning."

x

I don't know exactly when Yugi and Ryô met. By the time I found about Ryô, those two had known each other for months if not for years. I found out about it in the first martial arts tournament Yugi entered. Mokuba and I were both there to watch Yugi compete - and Ryô was one of Yugi's opponents.

Yugi won each of his matches. Even though he is used to dealing with shiftiness and precision when dealing with my enemies, when he fights in the ring he moves differently. He enjoys martial arts too much to carry the bodyguard-like quickness into the stage. They call him the Soyokaze - Soft Wind - because his movements are soft and fluent and no one can grab a hold of him. He blocks and parries with fluency not many can match. Sometimes he looks like he's dancing instead of fighting.

Ryô, on the other hand, has air of somewhat angular haste. He doesn't work with Yugi's fluency; instead his fighting has a pattern… almost frame like code that he doesn't break. He is the prodigy of rules, never breaks them. That's his brilliance, though. He knows all styles and patterns so well that he automatically knows how to counter them. He too won all his matches - all the way to the finals where he and Yugi stood face to face.

It was breath taking match, like collision of two forces. Ryô with his white hair and white training uniform looked like embodiment of light while Yugi with his partially nearly black hair and pitch black uniform looked like something out from the shadows. Ryô's perfect discipline against Yugi's near illusionary dance… I've never seen anything like it.

Yugi won, of course. When they finished by bowing to each other, the bow Ryô bend into wasn't the stiff bow of a loser, but bow of a disciple. When Yugi introduced Ryô to Mokuba and me, he said Ryô was from his dojo. Ryô called Yugi "master" and "teacher"… for a moment I think I was a bit jealous. It lasted only until Yugi smiled to Mokuba and said. "From now on, Ryô will be your personal bodyguard."

At first I was suspicious of Ryô, worried if he really was right for Mokuba - I trusted Yugi with everything, yet… it was my ten-year-old little brother and Ryô was a stranger. So I kept an eye on him. I soon found out that Ryô is strangely gentle. Not like Yugi, instead it's almost feminine gentleness. He doesn't treat Mokuba like Yugi treats me, not as protégé or master… but as child. Ryô does with Mokuba everything Yugi does with me - sees that Mokuba eats enough and gets all he needs from his meals, he makes sure that Mokuba enjoys his days and doesn't just work… watches over Mokuba day and night. But where Yugi demonstrates high level of servitude, Ryô holds an air of mothering.

"Ryô used to have a family - mother, father… little sister," Yugi told me one night when we were watching Ryô tug sleepy Mokuba into bed. "His mother died when he was little - to a sickness that took hold of her soon after Ryô's sister's birth. His father did everything he could to raise Ryô and Amane, but he was poor archaeologist with no real income except what he got from social services."

"Eventually the social workers took Ryô and Amane away when their father no longer could support them. They were taken into a facility, that wasn't really orphanage but not far from it either… not much after Ryô's father died in an accident, leaving Ryô and Amane alone. And then, when Amane was six year's old… she got horribly sick and died," Yugi smiled so sadly back then, bitter sweetly. "Mokuba reminds Ryô of his sister."

Yugi has never said it out loud, but I know that he is the person who taught Ryô. It's in the way they act - how Yugi advises Ryô about everything, how he automatically shows another way if Ryô does something wrong… and of course sheer respect and disciple-like submission Ryô gives to Yugi. It's kind of amusing because Ryô is two years older than Yugi is. Yet it works.

x

It feels like we've been walking for ages and ages when it only has been four days - five if you count the one we spend at the oasis. I've never felt so dirty in my life. I smell horrible, my skin is slimy from the sweat yet dry in a strange way thanks to the fact that most of the sweat evaporates in this heat. I don't even want to think about the state of my hair after all the time my scalp has been boiling underneath the scarf that's supposed to protect me from hyperthermia. My feet are pretty much over cooked, making me wish I could just walk barefooted, but I already tried that, and it wasn't good idea. The sun scorched sand is really hot and not ideal at all for the soles of my feet.

Yet I'm alive, thanks to Yugi, the water skin and our slowly but steadily thinning food supply. I guess that from some point of few that is a good thing, yet I don't really feel like it. And for some reason I'm praying for snowstorm. Desert really does funny things to your mind.

"Master Seto," Yugi calls for me from the ridge of yet again another sand dyne. He looks at me over his shoulder and motions me to come closer. "I think I see something."

I frown and gather what little strength I have to jog to him. He hasn't whined at all and he doesn't look uncomfortable at all, but he doesn't smell any nicer than I do, and he, thanks to having his arms bare, has rather bad sunburns. I suggested earlier that he would cool them with the water, which he of course did not do. We didn't have enough water to waste it for something like that.

"There," Yugi motions towards the distance. "Do you see anything, master Seto?"

I narrow my eyes against the glare of the sun and stare at what he's pointing at. At first I can't see anything but illusion like mirage created by the heat that flickers nauseatingly, but then… something black, small… long. It's spreaded over few dunes like ribbon or a snake. "I see something, looks like ribbon."

"You see it? Thank god, I thought my eyes might've been playing tricks on me," Yugi sighs and frowns. "I think it might be camel caravan."

I look at him and the hope that blossoms in my chest is almost painful. "You really think so?" I ask, nearly holding my breath.

"I hope, but there's only one way to find out," he hands me the water skin. "We need to pick up the pace, master Seto; we don't want it, what ever it is, to get out of range."

I take a one single slow swallow before handing the skin back. "Alright," I nod and steel myself. Picking up the speed doesn't sound nice, but the idea of people who might have more food than we do now…. that does.

Yugi nods to me, seals the water skin again and then we start to walk in slightly higher pace. It doesn't do much good to my already achy feet or sore throat, but I don't care. People meant not only food but shelter, possible chance of shower, clean clothing… all the comforts of civilisation.

Up dune, down dune, up dune, down dune… all the while chasing the ribbon-like black thing. Soon I'm sure it's people. Soon after I'm sure that they are indeed riding camels. Yugi has good intuition. There's really many of them though… dozens. Some of them are carrying large baskets, other are carrying people who are dressed into light shaded concealing robes and scarves, carefully protected from sunlight.

They stop at the sight of us, their entire caravan coming to still. As we walk closer, they talk amongst themselves in their foreign language, loudly, hurriedly… they dismount and two of the approach. Short fat man and tall, probably muscular one. The latter carries a sword. Damn. If this is the height of their technology…

The fat man speaks. I don't understand a word, but it sounds like Arabic. "I don't understand," I answer in Japanese while Yugi subtly positions himself between me and the two men. The men do not miss his action either - nor the many accessories Yugi has on him. No fonder really, with his belts, buckles, wrist bands, studs and rivets… Yugi's walking silver store.

The fat man blinks slowly at Yugi, then at me before speaking again - in another language. I don't understand it either. I try English next while frowning at the way the sword-guy is eying Yugi. The fat man shakes his head with annoyance and says something to the sword-guy who answers gruffly, nodding towards Yugi.

"I think this guy wants to rob me," Yugi smiles to me over his shoulder. "How should I proceed, master Seto?"

I glance at him with a frown. If I'm threatened Yugi acts immediately and without asking permission. But if it's he who is in danger, he asks. I don't know if it's because he feels that self protect on his part is unjustified or because he just doesn't care. Sometimes I think he's entirely too skilled to bother with things like robberies. Assassination attempt are his business, not petty thievery.

"If he tries, dodge," I shrug and he nods. With his speed he can avoid being touch not to mention robbed by just avoiding the attacker. I turn back to the fat man who is now glaring slightly at the sword-guy. I don't think the fat man likes the sword-guy. I think that's something I can work with - if we can find a common language that is.

The fat man tries another language and I don't understand a word of it. I try French next - he looks up but frowns. I guess the language sounds familiar but he doesn't know it. We're getting warmer. He tries another language - sounds like Hindi or something, but I don't know how to speak it. I frown and then try something else. Russian, hundred and fifty million people speak it in our earth. The fat man looks again like it's something familiar, but not familiar enough.

Then he speaks a language that I should've tried in the beginning. Mandarin. "Is this language familiar to you?"

"Finally, yes," I sigh with relief, in the same tongue.

"Oh, good. I was starting to think that we know no common tongue," the fat man laughs and then frowns. "You know many languages, young man."

"Several, yes," I nod. Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, English, Russian, French, Spanish, German… and so on.

"I see," the fat man nods. "Well, my name is Remmao, I'm the so called leader of this caravan… may I know your names? And maybe the reason to why you're walking here in the desert in such…" he looks at our clothing. "Well, your clothing aren't exactly suited for this heat."

"Don't I know that. We don't really, hm…" I shake my head. "Well, my name is Kaiba -" I'm not the kind of first-names-upon-meeting guy, "- and this is Mutô. We are, um, lost."

"Hmm," Remmao nods thoughtfully, glancing at Yugi who is keeping his eyes at the sword-guy who in turn is keeping close eye on Yugi's accessories. "My 'friend' likes your friend's jewellery," the fat man frowns slightly, raising his eyes meaningfully.

"Your friend doesn't know what good for him," I say frostily and glance at Yugi. I switch to Japanese. "You think you could take that guy?" I ask more curiously than worriedly.

Yugi looks at me amusedly before eying the sword-guy judgingly. "No balance, no centre… this guy even stands sloppily. He's more accustomed to carrying a sword than actually using and his skills in using it are limited with single slash and single thrust. He works by being big and looking threatening."

"So… you can handle him?" I ask, raising eyebrows.

"I can handle him." Definitely amused.

I turn to the fat man again. "So, where are you going?" I ask.

"We are going Djanet, for the Festival of the Ennead. Some of us are going to celebrate there, others are performers and entertainers, few are merchants… few are going to enter the Tournament of Strength where warriors compete," Remmao answers, looking a bit worried about my disinterest about that greedy friend of his. "You are not worried for Mutô?"

"No, usually it's other way around," I smile. "Tournament of Strength?"

"Yes, it's the main event of the festivals, hundreds of warriors gather to test their might and find the best one among them. There is also a great price involved," the fat man nods and glances at the sword-guy who's hand is now itching towards his sword. "This man here is going to compete also. Greedy fellow. Are you sure you are not worried about -"

"How much do you like that guy?" I nod towards the swordsman. This could be a good thing. Way to show these people that messing with Yugi is not a good idea.

"Not at all, in fact he is a pest at best times, real annoyance and bother at others. No one in the caravan likes him," Remmao murmurs with a frown.

"So no one would care if he got beaten, huh? Good. Tell him to attack Mutô," I say and glance at Yugi. "Do you want to fight?" I ask in Japanese.

"I'm always looking for exercise, master Kaiba," Yugi smiles. I guess he picked on the no-first-names thing even with the language barrier.

"You cannot be serious," the fat man looks horrified. "Sokkwi will kill your friend!"

"Not likely. Tell him to attack. You'll see," I say and back away. Remmao frowns, but now is looking slightly curious. While Yugi flexes his shoulders, the fat man speaks to the sword-guy, who grins hungrily. The other people of the caravan whisper amongst them selves while the sword guy pulls his sword out - wait, is that rust? Yes it is. The guy has a rusty sword.

"Pathetic," I murmur amusedly and Yugi nods in agreement. Then he leans back wildly to avoid the first slash.

I fold my hands as I watch the familiar dance, Yugi's dance. It's not the dance of protection; it's not swift and deadly. No, this is Yugi's dance when he is having his style of fun. Physical exercise where broken bones and bruises are inch away is his way of having fun. Maybe because each fight is training for him, which each fight he gets a little better, which in turn makes me safer.

Even his fun is dedicated to me.

Slash, thrust, slash, thrust… duck, parry, duck, parry. Yugi moves just like the wind, untouchable. Within seconds he has the poor bastard in rage and trying to slash wildly but it doesn't work. Opponent's rage aids Yugi because Yugi doesn't feel rage. While his opponent gets sloppy, Yugi gets quicker and smoother, even harder to catch. One of Yugi's tactics. Stall and stall until…

Yugi shifts his weight to one foot and raises other from the ground. Two quick kicks and it is over. One to his opponent's wrist, other to his chest. And… they're not just any kicks. Even my jaw turn's slack at the sight of the rusty sword flying through the air - a real long way too. The second kick was even more impressive, it makes the guy fly good five meters back.

"Whoa," Yugi murmurs, his foot still in the air. Everyone is staring at him, then at the guy who was knocked unconscious, then at Yugi again. Swiftly bodyguard lovers his foot and looks at me. "This place… it's making me _stronger_." I'm not sure if he's excited or worried.

"Hmmm…" I frown a bit. He is getting physically stronger, but I sure as hell am not. It was easier to move in the beginning, but that's it, I'm not any stronger or durable than I was before. If this place is making him stronger, why it doesn't work on me?

"I guess my friend really didn't know what he was doing," Remmao murmurs in awe. "Mutô seems very skilled. Is he yours?"

"What?" I ask with confusion.

"Is he yours? Your slave. That is a collar around his neck and as far as I know collars are sign of ownership," the fat man says, looking curious.

I glance at Yugi who looks back curiously, not understanding a word. I never thought about it, didn't want to, but now when I do… Yugi could as well be. I don't know a single action he has ever done that has been selfish - he does everything for me and lives for me. The silver on him, I bought it, the clothing… the collar was the first thing I gave to him, actually. Wait… do I even pay him a salary? He's the chief of my security and I don't pay him salary. Damn.

"Yes," I answer to Remmao with a slight frown. "I suppose he is." God I feel like I'm going to throw up. Covering up my sudden self disgust, I look at the old man. "Listen, would there be any chance we could tag along until get to Djanet?"

"Sure," the fat man smiles. "For a price I could even give you a camel to ride on."

"Price?" I murmur and frown. Sure, I have my wallet, but I don't think our currency will work here… then I remember something. Quickly I run through my pockets until I found it - the golden KC logo that used to be a pin on my collar. "Will this work? It's pure gold."

Remmao looks at the little piece of jewellery closely and nods before smiling widely. "Wait and I'll have the camel ready for you."

xx

There will be atleast five chapters in this story but no more than ten.


	3. Third part

**My shield, my sword **

**Third part**

People have tried to use Yugi against me in more than one occasion. Yugi, being so close to me and always in my presence, knows every secret my company has - he knows all the codes of the security and he has access to every level and corner of my company. Exact same access I have. Because of that he is the ideal person to try to bribe - just after me and Mokuba, who wouldn't betray me even in torture, Yugi knows the most about Kaiba Corp.

They have tried to bribe him with shares, stocks, money… even with jewellery, trying to find Yugi's price. I think they even swore that if Yugi would betray them, they would give me to him as a play thing. I knew of most of the cases when people approached him through the security system - there is no crook of canny in my company that isn't watched thanks to Malik's security system, no computer file that goes unchecked, and no phone call that isn't recorded. I witnessed, heard and read of how they tried to persuade him with glitter and glow and sweet promises…

The first time it happened, I was honestly afraid that Yugi would. I too believed into the words _everyone has a price_ back then. I had never considered that Yugi would have one, though, because he doesn't really care about worldly possessions - aside from leather and silver but those are things I gave to him. I was afraid that my enemies had discovered something to exploit, something even I had never seen - a greedy side on Yugi.

Greedy side, which Yugi really doesn't have.

I still have the security tape which is the first proof of Yugi's utter loyalty to me. The man promised my bodyguard all riches in earth and heave, and what did Yugi do? Beat the guy into bloody pulp. Then he dragged the guy into interrogation room, and watched Malik squeeze some information out of the man - and then Yugi moved to prove the world just how loyal he is. The guy who was behind the bribery attempt is still in hospital, deep in coma. They say that it's unlikely that he will wake up - and it's likely that if he wakes up, he will soon mysteriously fall back into unconsciousness.

I think Yugi was insulted by the mere thought of being disloyal.

Strangely enough, that wasn't the last time I happened. It was the last time Yugi could backtrack the bribery attempt to the source, but it wasn't the last attempt. Next attempts came via email, mail, phone calls and such - so that they wouldn't be there in person in case Yugi would want to beat them up. They tried different thinks to bribe him with - someone I think even promised land and estates to Yugi, other tried to promise that he could make Yugi anything he wanted to be - like pop star or something like that.

Yugi couldn't reach them physically so he reached them differently by using Malik's expertise. In my company's internet site there are recordings of the phone calls, copies of the letters and the emails… all open for the world to see along with long list of Yugi's opinions on the matter. Most of those opinions are less than polite. They call it the Gallery of Greed, and it made Yugi a different kind of internet idol - he has fans of his own. Also, thanks to the internet publicity, some of those bribery attempts were investigated by the police and certain companies without our knowledge, but it's a good thing I suppose. It has taken quite few of my rivalries and enemies out of business.

So far no one has find out something that Yugi would want, and I honestly think they never will. Want, need, desire… they don't exist in Yugi. Or if they do, he is damn good in hiding and ignoring them.

x

Remmao took liking to me and Yugi, and so did most of the people of the caravan. When we camp for the night, they flock around us, chattering with their strange language while eying Yugi with awe and me with strange sort of awed jealousy - probably because I _own_ such a powerful slave. They don't come too near, or eye Yugi's accessories with hunger anymore, though. Not with Yugi always stepping between me and them and eying everyone like hawk waiting for easy preys.

"Your slave is very watchful. I'm I right to presume that he has been your bodyguard for a while?" Remmao asks when we seat ourselves around small fire, seated on thin cushions that also work as parts of the camel saddles.

"Mutô has been with me since he was eight and my bodyguard since he was eleven," I nod while I watch how Yugi eyes one woman with interest. She's apparently a merchant, and is now selling the other people of the caravan food and such from her stores. "What are you thinking?" I ask in Japanese.

"I'm thinking that you need food, master Seto," Yugi answers and suddenly undress one of the extra belts he has wrapped around his hips as decoration. As I eye him with slight confusion, he takes his battle knife and starts to remove the silver studs from the leather with it. Holding one up, he raises his eyebrows. "Do you think I could use these as way to pay?"

"I'll ask," I turn to Remmao, switching from Japanese to Mandarin. "Mutô wants to know if he can use the studs from his belt as currency - they're pure silver, the studs," I say to the fat man and nod towards the woman. "He wants to buy food."

"I shall ask," Remmao nods and turns to speak to the woman.

I was very relieved to find out that the people here have a different way of seeing slaves as they used to see slaves on our earth back when they were still in use. Here slave is possession that can be bought and sold, yes, but they have rights and are allowed lives of their own. Some have jobs of their own; they make money, have children, marry and so forth. Slavery is actually more like life long job or different kind of family bond than actual slavery as I imagine it. In this caravan there is seventeen slaves, fourteen of them are travelling without their masters. That's why no one wonders why Yugi has so much jewellery when I have only a golden wristwatch, or how Yugi can buy things on his own.

"She says that she's willing to trade if Mutô an show her how to attach the studs into fabric," Remmao answers while the woman approaches us with a large basked which is holding her food items - dried fruits, fish, meat, some dates and vegetables, even some strange looking cakes.

Yugi easily shows the woman how to attach the silver studs into any kind of sturdy fabric, after which he starts to pick the food - taking a little bit of everything. Then I and Remmao have to work as translators between the woman and Yugi as they talk about price. Her merchandise comes surprisingly cheap - three studs are enough for her.

After she has thanked and left, Yugi takes taste of each of the food items he bought, before selecting few of them and handing them to me. Knowing better than to argue, I take them with a nod and start to eat as he packs the rest away. While the other merchants of the caravan are now talking amongst them selves while eying Yugi with interest, I wonder about the language barrier. If we need to stay here for a while, it could become problematic.

"Listen, Remmao," I turn to the fat leader of the caravan. "Do you think you could teach me your language? That would make things much easier for me and Mutô once we get to Djanet."

"Hmm…" the robed fat man narrows his eyes thoughtfully. "It's only four days until we arrive to the city. That is no where near enough time to learn."

"It's enough time to learn basics," I shrug. Four days, hah. That's plenty of time for someone like me. "So, would you do it?"

"Well, I guess there is no harm in trying," he smiles. While we eat, he starts to teach me the basic things - making me wonder why you start leaning every language by the phrase 'my name is so and so'. While he has me repeating phrases that make no sense to me yet, one of the merchants approach Yugi with pitch black robe.

"Awan wishes to know if he could temp Mutô with the cloak," Remmao explains to me with amused smile. "That's probably one of his best works, that robe, yet very few here wish to wear black - it is quite hot to wear black clothing after all."

"Yet black is Mutô's colour," I glance at Yugi who is already eying the thick robe with interest. "How many studs does Awan wish for the cloak?" I ask from Remmao who delivers the question back to the merchant. The man thinks about it for a while before answering.

"He wants ten but is willing to settle for nine," Remmao answers. "Mutô managed to gain the respect of all here - well, maybe except for Sokkwi. Awan doesn't want to charge his usual prices from someone he already idolises."

I nod and deliver the message to Yugi who immediately starts to remove the studs. The robe-merchant looks ecstatic while Yugi glances at me. "Ask if the man has something of your size. And something better to cover our heads than what we now have… and ask if they have any footwear, something lighter than our boots."

"Well, didn't you start shopping," I murmur amusedly and turn to Remmao again. Soon Awan is rushing away to return with long white robe - I guess by the colour of my shirt and pants he presumed that I like white which isn't far from the truth either. The merchant also brought long scarves, sandals, as well shirts which apparently reach all the way to one's ankles, white for me and black for Yugi.

Yugi pays thirty-five studs for the whole patch including the black robe Awan originally came to sell - four studs more than Awan asked. While the merchant seems to think he got too much in return, Yugi in his usual fashion doesn't take the studs back no matter how the merchant tries. I guess he doesn't want any discount on the man's expense and it's not like loss of thirty-five studs is much to him. He still has hundreds of studs still left in the three belts that are wrapped around his waist. In any case, the merchants of the caravan seem to respect him even more now.

Remmao suggest that we change our clothing behind the camels, which we agree to. There, away from sight Yugi first helps me out of my clothing and into the new, much airier - not to mention whole lot cleaner - ones. "This feels like I'm wearing a dress," I murmur while he wraps a belt around my waist, over the long shirt-like clothing. "Not that I'm whining, it feels great to get out of the dirty clothing."

"Maybe in Djanet we can find something less feminine if this doesn't suit you, master Seto," Yugi seems amused while he holds the white robe up so that I can slip my hands into the sleeves. "For now these clothing will protect you better against the sun, not to mention are warmer during cold evenings such as this."

"Yeah," I nod and shrug my shoulders to get a feeling to the clothing. The robe feels surprisingly nice on my shoulders, strangely comforting and indeed nicely warm in this cooling evening. "Though don't you think black will be kind of uncomfortable during the day?"

"I can handle it, master Seto," Yugi promises and kneels to the ground slip the sandals onto my now bare feet. He really acts like slave… which reminds me I haven't told him about the slave bit yet.

"Hmm… Remmao told me that around here collar such as yours is a sign of slavery," I say carefully. I'm not afraid of him getting angry about this - I know that nothing I could do could make him angry - but his reaction still matters. I don't want to embarrass him or humiliate him. "The people of the caravan think you're my slave."

Yugi glances up to me, registers my worry, and just smiles. "Good," he answers and gently ties the leather straps of the sandals around my ankles. "That's good."

"How is being slave a good thing?" I ask in half confusion, half horror.

"It gives plausible explanation to why I never leave your presence, master Seto, why I serve you, why I protect you…" he smiles. "It's not like it's far from truth in any case."

"Don't tell me you think that you _are_ my slave, because you're not," I glare at him.

He chuckles and stands up. "I am your servant, that you cannot deny." He takes the white scarf and places it to cover my head in similar fashion as the scarf-that-used-to-be-my-jacket did. Then he starts to undress himself while I go through my clothing to take every item from my pockets and finding them storing places in my new clothing.

When I look up, Yugi is only dressed into his black underwear, his back turned to me as he unfolds the clothing he's about to pull on. I frown slightly at the sight of the scars in his back - mementos from the times he took the blows for me. The scars that run vertically over his shoulder blades are the worse looking, thick, dark and rippled by the stitches that still run over the scars horribly. Yugi didn't want the stitched to be removed; he wanted them to remain as memento of the time he nearly failed.

As he pulls the black linen shirt over his head, my eyes trail down his back, over the rather firm behind to the biggest and ugliest scar Yugi has - the one in his thigh. It's almost vertical but not enough, the lower end of it reaching towards the black of his knee while I know the upper end reaches towards his pelvis. Like every time I see the scar, I shiver with the memory of the deserted island, and how Yugi hid the infection of the wound.

The cloth falls to cover Yugi from shoulders to middle of his calves, hiding the scar from sight. I turn my eyes away and force the dark memory from my mind. What is past should stay in past… right?

Yugi ties the shirt-like-thing first with the belt that is usually attached to his leather pants, and then ties the so called decoration belts upon and underneath him, making them look like they're one single seven inches thick belt. After pulling the robe casually on, he removes the self-made-scarf and replaces it with the black one he traded from Awan. After pulling the sandals on and tying them, he gathers his leather clothing and boots and turns to me. He looks good in the clothing. Kind of dark, though, but that's his trademark. And of course the leather collar still remains in his neck.

"Shall we return to the others, master Seto?" he asks with a smile. I nod, gather my own dirty clothing and we return to the others. Remmao applauses at the way we look in our new clothing, few others look approving as well. I guess we seem less foreign to them now, which is a good thing, I suppose.

Eventually the night darkens and the people start to wrap themselves into capes and blankets to sleep. I and Yugi take rest just outside the light of the fire. Yugi folds our clothing into a pillow - but I don't want to use it. I want to fall asleep listening to his heartbeat like I have in the past days - it's so soothing and calming that I don't want to give it up just yet. Thankfully he seems to understand. The people of the caravan might get funny ideas of us, but I really don't care as I lay my ear against the linen now covering his chest. I have to admit it is more comfortable against my cheek than the leather was.

"Goodnight, master Seto," Yugi whispers to me while warping his arms around me. I sigh and relax, the rhythm of his heart soon lulling me into sleep.

x

That collar has a significance which goes beyond my comprehension. I know part of the reasons why it's important to Yugi - it was a gift from me to him, the very first gift I gave to him actually. I'm still a bit embarrassed about buying it to him - it's a damn _collar_ after all, bondage accessory - but he likes it.

I was buying a birthday gift for Mokuba when Yugi saw the collar - we were in a jewellery store if memory serves. Someone had ordered the collar but it hadn't been what the customer had wanted so the collar had ended up in the shelf until Yugi saw it. While I was looking through wrist watches and such, Yugi spend the entire time staring at the collar though the glass of the cabinet.

He had never before that taken interest in anything he had seen while we had gone shopping, so I was sort of happy to see him interested about something. I bought the collar along with Mokuba's watch. I haven't seen Yugi without it since. To him it holds a significance beyond the fact that it was a gift, but what it is I don't really know.

x

Yugi's rubbing my temples as I sit somewhat miserably on the sand. Gods, what a _mother_ of a headache. I've had some pretty severe headaches in the past - you don't live my life and not have such health problems as stress and migraine - but this is new. It feels lime my brain is trying to crawl out of my head right through my forehead.

"Strange," Yugi murmurs while continuing to rub the clockwise circles to the soft skin of my temples. He's on his knees behind me from where he has the access to all the spots he usually stimulates to make my headache's stop - temples, neck, shoulders, spine… all the nice acupuncture points. "You don't have fever, your perspiration is normal… do you feel nauseous, master Kaiba?"

"No, just… my brain doesn't want to stay in my head today," I groan and lean my head back to his mercy. "My eyes are burning, but that might just be the damn heat."

"Yeah, the humidity levels are nearly nonexistent in these parts of the earth," Yugi murmurs, and takes his fingers away from my temples. Running them down the front of my ears, he slips hen behind the shell and there teases one of those spots only he has found in me. I bend my head now forward to give him a better access, which he uses. While his middle fingers stay in those spots just behind my ears, his thumbs travel underneath the scarf to massage the base of my scull.

"Are you alright, Kaiba?" Remmao asks worryingly while sitting down near by. "Headache?"

"Yeah," I grunt out. "Woke up with it."

"You know, one of the women in the caravan sells herbs. I'm sure she would have something that could help," the caravan leader suggests. "It'll be a long ride for you if your headache remains."

"Hm, thanks but no thanks," I force a smile and close my eyes as Yugi finds one of the best spots. I shiver slightly at the feeling. Not for the first time I'm really happy that Yugi knows Shiatsu and acupuncture. I don't like drugs - not after Gozaburo - so Yugi found an alternative method to help me with my headaches. It helped him with his Tai Chi Chuan training as well, I think.

"Is Mutô a healer as well as a fighter?" Remmao asks while he - and many others who are eating their morning meal around us - look at what Yugi is doing with curiosity.

"He knows certain forms of… ah…" how do you explain martial arts and Chinese medicine to people who live in Egypt? "Let's just say he knows human body very well. With him around I haven't needed… healers in years," I smile a bit. Since Yugi learned how to do these things I really haven't needed any help from hospitals or doctors. I still have seen more than enough of them in the times when Yugi has been injured, though.

"He must've been extremely expensive, Mutô," Remmao translates the words of one man near by.

I look up with a slightest frown. "Well, not really. Like I said before, Mutô has been with me since he was eight. Back then he barely knew how to cook. He learned fighting and other things afterwards. Now he's priceless yes, but back then…"

"Great stroke of luck, huh?" Remmao smiles amusedly. "Cheap slave with potential."

"Something of the sort, I suppose," I close my eyes again as I fell how Yugi runs his fingers down my spine through the white cloth. Gasp escapes me as he hits a nerve point near the spine, forcing a convulsion through though my torso. It feels like bolt of electricity running through my body, I nearly expect to see sparks.

"That's the spot," Yugi murmurs, sounding pleased. "How is the headache now, master Kaiba?"

"Still there, but that feels good," I grunt and arch my body as he presses harder.

"I guess I'm going to the right direction then," he still sounds pleased. He stops for a moment to go through the bag containing our food. "Eat, master Kaiba," he orders handing me some pieces of dried vegetables, fruits, one piece of strange cake and meat. Then he continues to work on my back. I sigh and start nibbling on the food even though I'm not really hungry.

"Maybe we need to consider other kind of sleeping arrangements," Yugi mutters while kneading into another nerve with his finger tips.

"I don't think poor sleeping habits caused this," I smile a little. "You're kind of comfortable."

"I'm glad to hear that, but I don't like seeing you in pain, master Kaiba," Yugi chuckles and starts to rub along my spine with his thumbs. "You know that."

"Yeah, I do," I sigh. I know it too well. Shaking my head I turn to look at him, hoping not for the first time to see some sign of a _reason_… but instead I see something else. "Yugi!" I yell out in fright as the snake coils it self to attack. Snakebite in this place is the last thing we need! And I really don't need to see Yugi hospitalised again, I've sat by his bed too many times already!

Yugi doesn't turn back in time, he doesn't notice the snake in time… but he doesn't have to. My headache snaps strangely and releases as if just surging out of my head right through my forehead and then… the snake freezes in middle of attack. Yugi's eyes widen as he notices the animal, everyone else notice it too - and the way it starts to turn dust right in before our eyes.

"Am I right assuming that thing was alive just now?" Yugi turns to me looking confused.

"Yeah, and about to bite you," I touch my temple. "And my headache is gone."

"I didn't know you are a magician, Kaiba… or should I say _master_ Kaiba," Remmao speaks with a strange reverence - the others look awed as well.

"A what?" I look at him with confusion.

"You mean you don't know?" the fat caravan leader looks surprised. "Magicians are the people who can do things with their mind - magical things like that what you just did," he motions at the now dusted snake. "They say that magicians have superior intelligence to normal people, so many thoughts that they can turn them into energy and channel it into magic."

I stare at him in disbelief. I want to say that he's out of his mind, stupid, there is no such thing as magic… but I _know _I did that. I felt myself doing it - it felt good. And no matter how scepticism in me tries to intervene, my thoughts follow more logical path. Yugi has been getting physically stronger here, which I first explained with concept of the gravity being lower… yet even though it was easier for me to move in the beginning, it didn't last.

I have never believed in the theories of so called human potential - about how we only use only small fraction of our brains and that if we could use the full hundred percent we could maybe do things we can't even imagine now - telepathy, telekinesis, maybe even clairvoyance… This place has effect on Yugi; physical strength is his thing, so he gets stronger in here. Mental activity is mine, so… what if I really can do things like telekinesis and such here? The scepticism in me really wants to deny it, but I just saw that snake turn into dust and there is no scientific explanation for that.

"W-what else can these magicians do?" I ask from Remmao.

"I don't really know. Most of the magicians known are part of the Pharaoh's court, and I'm not rich enough to know those circles personally," Remmao chuckles. "I've heard, though, that they can move things with their mind, create barrier and attacks… read thoughts, sometimes even destroy things and see into the future."

I frown and nod before looking at worried Yugi. "Master Kaiba?" he asks worryingly.

I chuckle stiffly. "This place turned you into a superman. It turned me into a psychic. I think I can do things with my mind here."

He looks at me steadily for a moment before making a thoughtful sound. "Makes sense," he says in his usual way that indicates that nothing surprises him. I can't help but smile and shake my head at his reaction. Typical Yugi.

x

I hate the word genius. I hate the word prodigy even more. I am both. Before I turned seven I scored hundred and fifty in IQ test, which made me one of millions. When I was eleven the test scores said my IQ was almost two hundred, which then made me one of billions.

Now that I look back to it, it could've been cool and nice _if_ I would've been given the chance to enjoy it. Gozaburo exploited my intelligence to the point of mental abuse, making me absolutely hate what I am. I still sometimes feel disgusted by myself because of my brain - I still think that if I was just an average person, maybe my life would've been nicer. Gozaburo wouldn't have adopted me and I would've led somewhat painless childhood in the orphanage…

Then I quickly squash the thought because if Gozaburo hadn't adopted me then I would've never met Yugi.

Yugi himself doesn't appear intelligent. He is the head of my security and brilliant fighter not to mention mean cook and massager, but… well. Malik is the one who runs most of my security, seeing that it's mostly run by computers and machinery which goes beyond Yugi's comprehension. Martial arts mostly rely on muscle memory, even though they require intelligence it's mostly senses, instincts and reflexes he uses, not brain. Shiatsu can be explained by that too - as a fighter he knows his anatomy well enough to grasp something like Shiatsu and acupuncture…

Yugi doesn't know any other languages but Japanese, he wouldn't be able to use computer to safe is life, the internet is completely out of the reach of his understanding… heck, he dropped out of school before turning thirteen. He is talented physically, but mentally… many believe him to have very low intelligence level.

Still he beats me in Chess, Go, Shôgi… no matter what the game is, as long as it's strategy he beats me every single time. As I see it, Yugi doesn't appear intelligent because he has no reason to; smartness holds no meaning to him. Him being smart and knowing his math and physics… it won't help him protect me, so it is meaningless.

x

"Are you going to enter Mutô to the Tournament of Strength?" Remmao asks me, speaking his native tongue, while I gaze to the city we see in the horizon. It looks still small, but according to the fat caravan leader it's one of the ten biggest cities of Kemet - which is the country we are in, apparently. We'll be there in few hours.

"With his skills, there is a chance that he might win," Remmao says and glances at Yugi who, after getting tired of riding on a camel, took in jogging beside me. Yugi's robe is now resting behind me on the camel's back along with our possessions. He has cut the sides of the hem of his shirt-like clothing - abaya - open so that it would be easier for him to move. As he jogs now and then we can get a good glimpse of his bare legs - which has few of the females in the caravan giggling and sighing dreamily. Yugi is short and he appears thin, but when he moves you can easily see how the muscles work underneath his alabaster skin.

"Hmm…" I turn my eyes thoughtfully to the fighters of the group. In the evening of the second day after we joined the caravan, the fighters approached Yugi carefully to test their strength in friendly spars. Yugi of course accepted, fighting without a weapon against the swordsmen. At first he just beat them as easily as he always does, but eventually the teacher in his rouse his head. I guess he's too adjusted to teaching Ryô to not teach while sparring anymore. He didn't even need me and Remmao to translate what he wanted when he started to teach the warriors of the caravan. I guess fighters share universal language that doesn't need words.

I know Yugi could handle himself in the tournament, heck he probably would win if he entered… but do we want that kind of attention to ourselves in this place? We're not from here, we don't belong here…and wouldn't it be a bit unfair to the other opponents? I really don't think anyone in this place has a proper martial arts training - and Yugi, heck, I've lost count on how many styles he knows and what level black belts he has.

But then again… Yugi really likes competing with his strength. "Hey," I call to get Yugi's attention. "Do you want to enter the Tournament of Strength in Djanet?" I ask in Japanese.

Yugi looks up with slight surprise before smiling. "I'd like that, master Kaiba," he nods.

I nod back to him and turn to Remmao. "How does the tournament work?" I ask in his tongue. The pronouncing still limps a bit, but I'm definitely getting more fluent by the minute. He was a bit shocked with my learning rate when he was teaching, but then he just shrugged and told me that it made sense. According to him only someone really special could have a slave like Yugi.

"It's simple, really. You just register him in the front of the fighting stage - there are booths there where the entering happens. In each fight there's time limit of five minutes so that all the fights can be held on same day. If there is no winner after five minutes, both fighters lose. The fights happen in the arena before a large crowd, some may bet on the matches and so forth," Remmao shrugged. "The winner is given a large money price and he'll be considered the strongest warrior of all Kemet thorough the year until next tournament."

I nod thoughtfully. It didn't sound too major. "And the tournament along with the Festival is tomorrow? Good. Do you know a place where Mutô and I could spend the night?"

"There are plenty of inns in Djanet, I'll point one out for you when we enter the city," Remmao nods. "Mutô might want to exchange few of his silver studs into money with someone here, though. They work as payment for the merchants here because they can sell them on, but in an inn it's a different thing."

I tell the same to Yugi, who nods in agreement. He undresses one of the belts and starts to remove the studs while I turn back to the person riding behind us. "Mutô wishes to trade some of the silver studs into money. Could you pass the message on so that if someone is interested they can know?" I ask from one of the fighters, who nods and turns to speak to the rider behind him.

As Yugi trades his studs for money, I rub my temple and wonder about what happened to the snake few days ago. I've tried, but I haven't been able to do anything like that since. I think it had something to do with the headache - I can only do things like that when my head hurts, I guess. In a way I'm glad. It would be bothersome if I would be doing things like that all the time.

I shake the thought away. Maybe it will never happen again, I wouldn't mind that at all. I glance at Yugi who is placing the silver coins he got into small leather pouch he got from one of the merchants. "Maybe I should try selling this," I look down to my left wrists and to the golden wrist watch. We might need the money, but… the watch was gift from Mokuba.

"No, master Kaiba," Yugi shakes his head. "We will manage with this money through today and tomorrow, and tomorrow I will win the tournament. The price money will get us far."

"Confident," I murmur amusedly but he has the right to be. These days there is no master of martial arts in Japan hasn't suffered defeat in Yugi's hands. The swordsmen with rusted weapons here have no chance against Yugi even when he's armless.

"You have no need for extra money, master Kaiba, for my money is always yours," Yugi smiles and throws the pouch of money to me. I catch it from mid air and nod as thanks before hiding it in the folds in my robe. While doing so I feel twinge of self-disgust because this may be the first time he has money that he can call his own - and he gives it to me.

Djanet is certainly not as small as it looks like from afar. It's actually rather big. After seeing the caravan and total absence of anything indicating "advanced civilisation" as I know it, I expected their city to be around the same size as my town or maybe a village, but instead…

We enter Djanet through the gates of a sand-shaded wall that surrounds the city. Inside the town seems to be like something out of fantasy movie or game - the buildings are tall and made with certain artistic precision, making them all look like they are temples or stone mansions. There are pillars and columns holding up the well sculptured rooftops in most of the buildings, and everywhere I turn I see sculptures and statues. The ground is well paved, making it almost perfectly smooth, and there are well defined flower arrangements and many palm trees all implanted in perfect order at each sides of the street.

And people - no people in sandy robes and such as the people of the caravan, but what looks like people from all around the globe. I see Indians, Chinese people, Russians, Africans, even Romans… all dressed into what I known as _historical native garbs._ I even see some men in kilts. The native people themselves don't wear sandy robes, but luxurious looking loincloths and robes, most of them nearly see-though in quality. Their make-up seems like artwork and so far I can't see anyone who doesn't have at least little bit of gold decorating them.

As Remmao guides our caravan through the street towards who know where, we pass by a fountain - a working fountain that is even as I watch sprouting and spraying streams of crystal clear water. If that isn't indication of a working pluming then I don't know what is.

So… these people have working water, but no electricity? Interesting.

"Master Kaiba," Remmao calls me while dismounting his camel. Were now in some sort of market place - it's filled with all kinds of booths which are selling everything from herbs and food items to weapons and armours. "You asked for a place to sleep at night if I recall correctly. There is an inn right over there, is has a decent bathing quarters, clean beds, and the price is reasonable. I'll be spending my night there, in fact."

I nod and give my ride a motion so that it will lower itself to its knees. While Yugi moves to take his robe and our belongings, I dismount and look around in this strange city. There really are so many people around here, I didn't quite except it to be like this. Now I know for a fact that this place cannot have any technology that might help us get home, but I'm still curious. Why, when our earth is like it is, this place is like this? What historical events here are different that they are there?

I glance up to the sky. It's already starting to darken. "How about we head to inn and see about shopping tomorrow, hm?" I ask from Yugi who nods in agreement. After exchanging few words with Remmao about the Tournament, Yugi and I head towards the inn.

The inn is bigger and fancier than I expected, as well as more expensive, but we have more than enough money thanks to Yugi. I rent a single room with single bed for us before asking about the bathing quarters. The man behind the counter tells me that there is bathroom in each of the rooms. Then I ask about food, which apparently can be either dined with other customers or in the room. I ask the food to be delivered to our room, after which we are then taken to it.

"Now this looks better," I murmur with approval. The room large, the floor is made of marble and the walls are covered with veil-like curtains. The windows are enormous and give a nice view to the market place. There is only large bed, two divans, and single table in the room, but it's more than enough.

While Yugi places our things to the corner of the room and closes the door, I go to inspect the bathroom. It doesn't have a shower or sink as I know them, but it has a certain kind of toilet and enormous bathtub. The sight makes me nearly make some kind of embarrassing noise out of happiness. After ten or so days of hell… a bath!

"Perhaps you should wait for a moment before bathing, master Seto," Yugi says to me from where he's hanging his robe to a hook on the wall. "Until the food has been delivered, at least."

"Hmm… you're right," I nod and sigh. I've been dirty for days and days, I suppose I can wait for little while. I turn around and remove my own white robe. Yugi takes it from me and hangs it beside his own while I walk to the window. "This isn't a bad looking place. I didn't quite expect this, not after seeing the caravan."

"What did you expect then, master Seto?" Yugi asks while smoothing wrinkles out of my robe

"I don't know something smaller, less impressive, dirty… primitive I suppose," I shrug. "Seeing these people with working water is a surprise. Pleasant one. I wonder why they don't have any electricity, though…"

"Maybe the person who invented it in our world never existed here," Yugi suggests. "Many things are different here."

"Yeah, this place is Kemet instead of Egypt and run by a pharaoh instead of president. All those foreign people down there," I motion down to the street, "wear their traditional clothing instead of what we consider modern clothes. Maybe here the whole modernisation never happened. Our world is as it is because some countries had campaign to educate other cultures with their religions and ways of life. Maybe here… the nations were left to their own devices. Who knows, maybe Great Britain and United States don't even exist here - maybe South and North America are still in the hands of their native people."

"Hmm… that doesn't sound half bad," Yugi murmurs, coming to stand by my side. "As I see it modernisation destroyed many cultures - such as those that originated in South and North America. I wonder what Japan is like here."

"Hm, me too," I glance down to the market place. "One thing is sure, though. With this many Chinese here there is a chance that there are martial art masters in the tournament as well."

"Good, a proper challenge," he chuckles and then turns to look at the door sharply. As I raise my eyes as well, we hear someone knocking, after which female voice calls that she has came to bring the food.

"Room service," I tell to Yugi, who nods and goes to open the door. A dark skinned woman dressed in white linen clothing similar to my abaya, walks into the room. She's carrying a tray holding some fresh fruits and two plates of some kind of food - looks like fish. There is also a two goblets, can of something to drink and loaf of bread.

She carries the tray to the table between the two divans and then asks me if I need a bather. The look in her eyes indicates that she would be the one to bathe me if I said yes. And that she looked forward to it. I guess this inn deals with more than sleep, bathing and eating.

"No, thank you," I nod to her. She hesitates before nodding as well and leaving. "Hmm… I guess it is tradition here to be bathed by a bather," I murmur with a shake of head while waling to the divans.

"She offered?" Yugi glances at me curiously while locking the door. "And you declined?"

"Yeah, I rather bathe myself," I smirk and sit down to examine the food. It doesn't look bad at all. "Unless you wish to do that as well," I chuckle while taking a piece of fruit. "Lately it seems like I haven't done anything myself, you even dress me these days."

"I like doing things for you, master Seto," Yugi smiles to me gently. "If you wish for me to bathe you then I will."

I look at him while biting into the fruit, trying to determine if he really _wants_ to or if he thinks it's one of his duties. The shade of his eyes tell the difference - strangely enough the colder his eyes get the more agreeable he is. I smirk lazily at the memory of the times when I thought that the warmth in his eyes meant that he agreed with me when in reality it was the exact opposite.

This time his amethyst eyes are tinted with blue. My smirk melts into smile. "Maybe I'll take you up on that… one day, but not today," I answer and turn to the food while he comes to sit on the other divan. He looks at me questioningly, silently asking why not now. I shrug. "I'm just too dirty right now. It's embarrassing enough as it is."

"You don't need to be embarrassed with me, master Seto, you know that."

"I do, but still… I'd rather scrub myself clean this time," I shake my head. "Maybe next time."

He smiles to me and I wonder once more why. Why all this, all the little things, all the big things, all the intimacy, why me? Why… after all these years I'm still asking that question? But then again I still don't know the answer to that question.

xx

We'll see about the characters who will be making appearance, many thanks for the reviews


	4. Fourth part

**My shield my sword **

**Fourth part**

Yugi has no real loss, few close calls, many victories, but only one conquest, a perfect take-over. That conquest goes by the name of Malik Ishtal and in him one can easily see the true power Yugi can yield - and it's not in the power of his muscles or skills, but in his power to change people.

Malik was originally an assassin of a new breed - they called him the Net Controller because of the way he worked. He was truly terrifying in those days, because he could kill people with incredible precision from hundreds and thousands miles away and make it all look like coincidence or accident. He was the best of his trade, expensive beyond belief and he never failed. The way he worked is still considered an art form among certain assassins.

First Malik would hunt down all information of his mark through the internet, uncovering all their schedules and then using machinery as his tools of trade. When he found a perfect spot in the schedules, he would hack into security systems - cameras, motion sensors and such - to be absolutely sure of his victim's movements and locations, and then use machines and mechanisms as his weapons. He once killed twenty people by causing air-vent malfunction that sucked all oxygen out of the room those people were in. Other time he killed his mark by causing some kind of overheating in oil-platform boiler system that eventually gave in, killing the victim with boiled water.

In the end, it all would look like freak accident. No one has ever been able to track these incidents down to Malik, and he has never been caught. Heck, he's the brother of Ishizu Ishtal, one of the most riches women around and therefore public figure himself, and no one had any idea that he very widely known assassin in the circles of world class criminals.

Malik was hired to kill me by one of my most persistent enemies - group of annoying business men known as the Big Five. They probably paid more than they could afford to get Malik, but I suppose it seemed all to be worth it to them - after all, if I died it would multiply their finances by dozens. In any case he targeted me - assassin with spotless record, assassin who no one could stop. Assassin who seemed to be an irresistible force.

But then we have Yugi, an immovable object.

Yugi was thirteen then, I was seventeen and Malik was twenty. One would think that the age difference would've made Yugi the loser, me the in-between and Malik the victor nearly automatically. And one would think that against computer hacker such as Malik, my own knowledge of the machinery would've been more important than Yugi's skills. Yugi, as young as he is, is like piece of something old and nearly forgotten, a knight or a samurai of the old days, so what use is he against computers and the internet? But in his olden ways lies Yugi's strength.

The collision of these two entities - irresistible force and immovable object, machinery and martial arts - was really something incredibly to witness - horrifying, mind you, but still extremely awe-striking.

Malik's first attack happened via elevator - he attempted to crash the elevator I was in down good twenty floors in few seconds, the impact would've killed me instantly… if Yugi hadn't been there. Yugi, in the moment he sensed danger, didn't even try understanding the machinery that was trying to kill me. He just did what he did best - beat the day lights out of the poor elevator. The metal walls suffered quite damage from his fists and feet and it was enough to make the dents and bumps Yugi caused to scrape against the inner walls of the elevator shaft. It slowed the elevator down enough so that when we finally hit the bottom, it only knocked the air out of us. Yugi had badly bruised knuckles for days afterwards, though.

The next thing Malik attempted was the same air-vent trick he used to kill those twenty people. It worked even worse than the elevator thing because Yugi only had to break the window to get us some fresh air.

Third attempt happened by hacking into my helicopter and attempting to crash it - but at that point Yugi's distrust for all things mechanic had heightened so much that he hadn't stepped into it without preparing. The pilot died, but Yugi saved me by parachuting us out of the helicopter in time.

Fourth time Malik tried to cause some kind of electric overload in one of the laboratories - that attempt failed because of Yugi maimed the plug with a single kick.

Fifth attempt happened in my own mansion, as strange as it sounds he tried to drown me by locking the doors of my garage and overflowing the sewer underneath it. It didn't work because as sturdy as my metallic garage doors are, they're only as sealed as their hinges make them and Yugi is good in using leverage.

Malik tried no less than thirteen times before finally relenting, forced to rely on good old fashioned ways of the bullets. He again found a perfect spot in my schedule, waited for it and then aimed… but that bullet ended in Yugi's chest, not mine. After that the game was forfeit on Malik's part. From the bullet wound, Yugi immediately determined his position. Like me, Malik is a thinker and not a worker, so he no chance against Yugi, not even when Yugi was wounded. Yugi hunted him down within minutes and dragged him into holding cell in my company before finally letting me take him to hospital to get the bullet wound treated.

Usually when Yugi catches assassins, he deals with them with simple pattern - makes them talk and then makes them quiet. I swear, he has caused more coma victims than severe head injury. Malik, however, made it personal by coming after me so many times and nearly succeeding - Yugi considers every time he bleeds for me a near miss and near misses are personal to him. It was even more personal than before because the bullet missed Yugi's heart by hair's width. Yugi didn't want to just win against this one assassin - he wanted to completely overpower Malik, and that he certainly did.

But when I say overpower, it has nothing to do with pain, torture or intimidation - those should be but never have been the tools of Yugi's trade. He was cruel in his own way, yes. He held Malik as his personal captive for weeks, holding Malik in windowless sell with no lights or bed; it actually had only a toilet bowl and nothing else. But those were only few of his weapons. When Yugi finally attacked his captive, he did it by soft tones, gentle words, understanding and kindness…

Yugi would once a day visit Malik in the windowless room. He would turn the lights on, bring Malik food, and then he would talk to him for an hour, only speaking the truth. He would tell Malik tales about me, about the orphanage he had been, about the assassins whom he had defeated for me, about his grandfather, about Ryô and Mokuba…

Malik tried to attack him in the first times, but as tall as he is he isn't even nearly as physically strong as Yugi is so it had no effect. Even when the assassin figured that it was no use trying to attack Yugi, Malik was suspicious for a long time. But eventually the solitude, the hunger, the darkness and the discomfort Malik felt started to have their effect. I witnessed it all through the security cameras; how Malik begun to crave for Yugi's visits - the food, the light, the talk… how he eventually begun to talk back. When Yugi started to ease the aches he had gotten from sleeping on the floor by massages, Malik was already broken and tamed.

Yugi defeated Malik by Stockholm Syndrome. He made his captive like him, empathize with him… and eventually loyal to him. When Malik emerged from that room, he was even more devoted to my bodyguard than Ryô is. So loyal in fact, that when Yugi suggested hiring Malik as the chief of surveillance in my company, I didn't hesitate at all.

Even now, when Malik has seen the tapes of his weeks of captivity and understood what Yugi did to him, it doesn't matter. Yugi changed him so well that Malik will be loyal to him to his grave. And I don't think Malik minds it at all.

x

I've never actually been in a market place. Not this kind or any other kind. When I think about it, the only shops I've actually visited are electronic stores, jewellery stores and few clothing stores. And always when I've visited these stores, I've known what I wanted to buy. I have never _shopped_, never really had the need or the interest.

So, walking in this large market place of city of Djanet is a new experience. They really seem to sell everything here; spices, herbs, tea, fruits, cakes, food from all around the globe, not only native clothing of Kemet but other countries as well, weapons, toys, jewellery, random junk… there are even few booths selling animals. So far I've seen over twenty different kinds of booths and I've only walked in straight line - there has to be hundreds of more booths around here. And for each booth there seems to be twenty or so customers.

"Do you want anything?" I ask from my bodyguard who is trailing after me. We left most of our belongings in the inn after renting the room for another night, so Yugi isn't carrying really anything with him now. He looks somewhat at ease even in this enormous crowd. Maybe because he finally gave in to the heat and ripped of the sleeves of his abaya, leaving completely sleeveless.

"Hmm, I don't really need anything, master Seto," he shrugs.

"Nothing? Weapon, some other kind of clothing? You'll be fighting in an hour, remember," I look at him up and down. I can see his bare calves, knees and thighs from the slits he broke into the hem of his abaya. "Pants maybe?"

"Thank you, master Seto, but I'm fine," he smiles. "And you should know that I'm most comfortable fighting without a weapon."

"Hmm… I suppose so," I murmur and turn to look at the booth selling clothing. Yugi does practice the use of weapons - and I swear I've never seen anything as beautiful as Yugi when he has a sword in his hand - but he uses weapons very rarely. Mostly because when Yugi takes a weapon it's never to fight, it's to kill. And killing is something Yugi isn't comfortable with, even if he can do it.

"Well, if you're sure," I glance at him. He nods one more time with that serene smile of him, and I nod back before glancing at the clothing booth again. Well, I suppose I don't need any clothing either. The clothing I have now - the white abaya and cloak, sandals and the scarf - are actually comfortable, and even clean seeing that Yugi washed them all yesterday evening.

"How about something to eat then? Or do you want to eat before the matches?"

"You should eat," he answers, glancing around and then motioning towards booth selling fruits and vegetables. "Something of that sort. After so long in the desert, you need some vitamins, master Seto."

"And you don't?"

"I'm fine."

"And I don't believe you," I answer and walk to the booth. Yugi motions at what he wants me to eat, and I'll pick double amount of everything before paying with the silver we have thanks to my bodyguard. I hand half of the food to him and glare at him before he can start to argue. "Eat, damn it."

He chuckles and shakes his head in amusement. "As you wish," he agrees. While I bite into strange start shaper fruit, he starts eating a fruit which looks kind of like apple. We continue on our way through the market, not really buying anything - even if some of the things they sell look interesting and I would love to give them to Mokuba, nothing really catches my eye.

Eventually we are done and the food I bought is eaten. "We could use a new bag and proper water skin, but those we can buy after the tournament," Yugi murmurs with final glance towards the market place as we stand before the fighting stage-building. It looks kind of like miniature pyramid-coliseum with broken tip and many columns and statues. There are two booths at each side of the grand entrance to the stage, and people in the booth are calling for fighters.

"Time to go," I murmur to Yugi who nods. We walk to the booth, where I'm greeted by smile from half-dressed Egyptian male who asks if I'm entering. "No, not me, but I would like to enter my slave," I motion at Yugi. "That is possible, right?"

The man frowns a bit at Yugi. "You sure, sir?" he asks hesitatingly, glancing at another fighter who is registering on the other end of the booth. The fighter is tall, muscular, dressed into armour of sorts and is carrying a large sword. Comparing that Egyptian fighter and Yugi I can see why the man behind the booth's counter would hesitate.

"Absolutely," I answer.

"Well, if you're so sure," the man murmurs and turns page of his papyrus paged book. "I shall require your name and your slave's name." After I've given our last names only and the man has written them down in hieroglyphics, he looks up. "Your slave's number will be forty-two. If you would go in through there, you will hear further instructions from the manager inside," the man motions towards doorway behind the booth. "Usually no one else but the fighters is allowed in, but as the slave's master you are allowed to enter."

"Thank you," I nod, motion at Yugi and then head towards the doorway. I see the man shake his head with disbelief and pity, but that's his misjudgement. Yugi is the poster boy of '_Don't judge book by its cover_'.

The doorway takes us into a rather large room with about eighty or so people inside, sitting around, waiting. Some of them are Egyptians, some Russians, some Asians, Africans, few Indians, some Europeans… all of them fighters, most of them muscular, armoured and armed. They glance at us but don't pay much attention

"Please sit down, it will be another half an hour to wait," half-dressed Egyptian man says to me and Yugi. I nod and glance around for a seat. Yugi doesn't sit down when I do, instead he leans to the wall beside me, but that's no wonder. Bodyguards don't sit around.

There is little talking but quite bit of glaring in this room - most people are glaring at the Asians. That's no wonder, I guess, not if like in our world Asia is the centre of the art form known as the martial arts. Single glance at Yugi confirms my suspicion - in this room, only the Asians rouse any interest in Yugi, he doesn't even spare glance to the Egyptians, Europeans, Africans or others, as his eyes linger on the Asians.

Someone might've thought that Yugi's interest in them lies on their race, but nothing could be further from the truth. In our world three of Yugi's favourite martial arts opponents and one of his greatest rivals are actually American and his student is half British, so race has no meaning to Yugi. Instead what Yugi is interested about is the posture of the Asians, how they carry themselves, how they breathe… how they just sit. I can't see anything in them, but Yugi can take smallest hints and figure out what's behind the exterior. He knows that in this room, only the Asians can offer him any challenge.

And all the Asians are staring at Yugi with equal interest. I smirk and fold my hands, wondering what they see in him. What it would be like to see Yugi through the trained eyes of martial artist? To me Yugi doesn't look much I have to admit; he's short, he's pale and he looks thin, weak, wimpy… If I didn't know better I would say that he is very weak, that even I could beat him in arm wrestling - which I wouldn't be able to do in million years in reality. But what do they see? By the looks of it, what they see makes them apprehensive. Can they see the strength, the talent and the experience? I wonder what it looks like.

The other fighters, those not of Asian descent, don't pay any attention to Yugi at all. Some of them glance at me, though. I think they think I'm the fighter, and not Yugi. Thankfully none of them talk. As amusing as it would be, I don't really feel explaining about Yugi out loud - not now that the tension between Yugi and the Asians is turning the air prickly.

More fighters come in and settle down to wait until the men at the booth walk in with their books. They talk a bit with the man who asked us to wait, before heading out of the room, further into the pyramid-coliseum. "Thank you all for waiting," the man who asked us to wait says to us all. "And welcome to another Tournament of Strength. Some of you I can recognise from earlier tournaments, but few of you seem new, so I will recite the rules."

"All together there are over hundred fighters so there will be seven rounds. Two first rounds will happen two fights at the time to preserve the time," the man explained. He motioned a large papyrus scroll that was hung on the wall. "In the first round number one will fight number two after which they will fight the winner of the battle between numbers three and four and so forth and so forth. When the two first rounds are over and only thirty two of you remain, the fights will happen one at time. To win the tournament, you will have to be victorious in seven fights."

I make a quick calculation in my head. If there is seven rounds to fight to win and each round eliminates half of contestants, it means that there is hundred and twenty-eight fighters in the beginning and there will be hundred and twenty-seven fights, each of them will take five minutes, but as ninety-four of them will happen two at time, this will not take ten or so hours, but only little less than seven….seven hours of constant fighting. Though probably not all fights will last for five minutes.

"The rules of each engagement are simple. You win if your opponent surrenders, is knocked unconscious, or dies. Double knockout will mean that both fighters are out of the tournament, same thing will happen if your time runs out," the man continues speaking. "There will be no second rounds no matter what. Are we clear on this, gentlemen, ladies?"

Some of them nod and few murmur in agreement - Yugi is silent, but that's no wonder as he hasn't understood a single word.

"Well then. I bid you all good luck in your fights. When your number is called you are to go through there," the man motions towards doorway to his right. "After which you will proceed to fight immediately. Those of you who are masters of slaves who will be fighting are allowed to witness the fights of your slaves, but no one else's." He nods briskly and leaves.

I turn to Yugi and speak in Japanese. "You will have to fight seven times to win, each fight is only allowed to take five minutes and to win your opponent must either surrender, fall unconscious, or die. As your number is forty-two, it will take twenty fights before you will fight - they will be art first fought two fights at time, so it'll take around fifty minutes before you'll fight."

While the Asians raise their eyebrows at our language, Yugi nods. "That seems simple enough," he says approvingly. "How long do you think it will be before the final fight, master Kaiba?"

"About six, seven hours - but that is only if every fight lasts five minutes."

He nods thoughtfully and glances up as one of the managers of the tournament fights into the room, calling for numbers one through four, while asking numbers five through eight to be on standby for their fights. As the four fighters leave to start the tournament, the rest of us wait in anticipation. Well, not Yugi and I. We've gone through this many times, even if this isn't actual martial arts tournament and we are in a different reality, this is still the same old drill.

"How many this would make?" I wonder out loud in Japanese. "Tournaments you've entered in, I mean."

"This will be twenty-eighth, master Kaiba," Yugi answers calmly. He chuckles a bit. "It will be strange without Ryô, Joey, Tea and Tristan there."

"Hmm," I nod. Ryô usually enters the tournaments Yugi enters. Joey Wheeler, Tea Gardner and Tristan Taylor are the American champions, who usually are in the highest level tournaments as well. The three of them as close as Yugi can get to 'having friends outside job'; I guess you could call them Yugi's sparring partners. Even if Yugi can defeat all of them easily, he always looks forward to fighting them. They, on the other hand, look up to Yugi as their idol, even if he's years younger than all three of them.

Amusingly enough the three of them took up careers as bodyguards after meeting Yugi - Wheeler and Taylor work for Otogi Ruyji who runs a entertainment and gaming business and Gardner works for Mai Valentine who owns four of the world's ten largest casinos. Otogi and Valentine aren't my rivals due to the fact that all three of us work in different areas, but we have had dealings and more often than not we meet in the tournaments of our bodyguards. Actually, now that I think about it, few of our business deals were struck when we were watching our bodyguards match against each other.

"I'll be strange not striking business deals while watching you fight," I say amusedly. Yugi smiles as well, but doesn't answer as he watches people come and go from the room.

As the fighters head to the stage, the victors of the previous fights take seat and the losers head out with annoyed expressions. Some of the fights take less time than others, few times it takes longer than it should - meaning that there either has been a double knockout or the fighters had breached the time limit. It takes little less than three quarters of an hour before Yugi's number is called.

"Will fighters forty-one and forty-two come forward?" the manager asks. As one bulky looking European dressed into fancy looking armour heads towards the manager, I stand up and motion Yugi with my hand, signing that it was his turn. The European glances Yugi first with disbelief and then with arrogant smirk while we follow the manager out - and then before thousands and thousands of people.

Yugi needs to translations for this part as he quickly undresses his sandals, leaving himself bare foot. I stand with the judges while my bodyguard and his condescendingly smirking opponent take stands in the assigned fighting area that is beside another one where another fight is going on. When Yugi bows to his opponent in the accustomed manner of martial artists, I think he manages to both insult the man and amuse him. The European then bows back mockingly, making me sneer. Yes, bow down to your doom.

The fight is signalled. The European pulls out a medieval styled broad-sword - which luckily isn't rusted - before charging forward. I chuckle out loud. Even I can tell the man is doomed - he's charging like wild bull or something. This fight will be over within seconds.

Yugi doesn't even bother taking fighting position; he just waits until his opponent comes to his reach and avoids the attack by bending his body into position that looks almost natural. He then steps around the man in the usual Gentle Wind dance, before grabbing the man's outstretched hand, twisting it back with a ruthless but fluent tug, and hitting the man sharply to the back of his head. The armoured European falls limb in his hold, falling flat into the ground when Yugi releases the man, making quit lot of noise thanks to the armour. The European doesn't wake up.

There is short, shocked silence before the audience howls with appreciation and Yugi is declared winner. After bowing to his fallen opponent, Yugi returns to me with solemn expression. I raise my eyebrow in curiosity and he sighs, taking his sandals to his hand. "Disappointment."

"Did you honestly expect something else?" I ask while we are taken back to the waiting room.

"I expected easy victory, but that was too easy, master Kaiba," Yugi frowns. "I can't help but wonder that if people like that man believe themselves to be skilled enough to fight in tournament with martial artists, what kind of fighters are the martial artists really?"

"Don't let your hopes down yet," I say as I take seat again. "Wait until you've actually fought against an Asian of this place."

"Hm," he nods, though he still looks a bit solemn and his eyes have a reddish tint in them. He, just like me, doesn't really enjoy easy victories.

x

Once when Yugi was twelve, he and I shared an opponent. President of a company that was rival to mine as well as martial arts champion whom Yugi faced in a tournament. Pegasus Crawford of the Industrial Illusions Corporation. Gods I hated that man. Not only because he seemed to steal every idea I had or because of his attitude - gods, I still get shivers of utter disgust and loathing when I think of the phrase _Kaiba-boy_. No, I hated him because one, he kidnapped Mokuba, two, he nearly stole my company from me, three, he stabbed Yugi and four, he forced Yugi to commit murder.

He came too close. At first we were business partners, working in kind of symbiotic relationship if you will. His company dealt with programs and new types of images - they were the first to drabble in actual hologram technology. He gave me the plans and I perfected them - the result of this co-operation was the actual hologram technology which I perfected. I can't say that I ever actually liked Pegasus, but I liked the fruits of our labour, I kind of hoped that our partnership would last…

And then he was buying my shares and sneaking his fingers into my corporation. With the help of my old executives, he sneaked his way in and suddenly we weren't just business partners but he was in my company. I immediately started to fight pack. Kaiba Corp. is mine and Mokuba's, and no one else's. I wanted Pegasus out and I wanted him out _quickly_…

But then he kidnapped Mokuba and it all turned into twisted, horrible game. It was in time before Ryô and before Malik, so we didn't have the recourses we have now. If something like that would happen now, which is extremely unlikely because of Ryô, Malik would hunt the kidnapper down, and Ryô and Yugi would break in and fetch my brother, but back then things like that were beyond our capability. We had no choice but to yield into Pegasus's will.

I have no doubt about Pegasus's mentality. The man was crazy. Apparently Yugi had stopped an assassin sent by Pegasus, and the bastard had taken it personally. It wasn't enough for him to beat me; he wanted to beat Yugi as well. While he was sneaking further into my company, he orchestrated a tournament to which Yugi and Pegasus himself would enter. And then Yugi would have to lose before life audience and everything.

Already back then the idea of Yugi _losing_ was ridiculous, but the thought of him losing on purpose was just insulting. Yet it seemed like we had no choice. How it ended up was quite different from how Pegasus wanted it to be, though. Yugi can do many things - hide things, keep secrets and never show any sign of it - yet if there is something Yugi cannot do in no circumstances is to outright lie and make it plausible. Especially not with his body. The way he lost was so fake, that everyone could tell that the match wasn't real. Pegasus certainly wasn't happy.

The rage he felt worked to our advantage. After the fight Pegasus had his security guards grab us. We were taken to same place where they held Mokuba. While we were locked in the cell, Pegasus gloated about how he was taking over my company and how after he had done it he would kill us and so forth… Yugi of course didn't exactly agree to that.

As nice as rust and dirt are as effect in dungeons prisons, they don't work as the advantage of the jailer. For the jailed, on the other hand, rust is a good thing. And no matter how new and shiny and strong the lock in the door is, it's useless if the hinges give in. It didn't take much trying for Yugi to break the hinges by using Mokuba's pocked knife.

We nearly managed to escape before Pegasus found us. All hell broke loose then and I and Mokuba witnessed Yugi when he wasn't having a good day. I don't even want to describe it, nor did I ever want to witness it again. In the end all of Pegasus' guards were down and Pegasus and Yugi were locked in a rather diabolical fist fight. Yugi was winning easily up until Pegasus pulled out two short swords.

He managed to stab Yugi once to his stomach - the blade nearly went right through, just missing his spine and kidney. Then he moved to slash Yugi across the throat, forcing Yugi to defend himself in manner I never had witnessed him do. He plunged Mokuba's pocket knife into Pegasus's left eye, killing the man instantly. It saved Yugi's throat but not his insides as Pegasus fell to the handle of the sword embed inside Yugi's stomach. It tore right through Yugi's kidney, doing something horrible to his stomach muscles and other insides as well.

Yugi was literally bleeding to death by the time we got him to hospital, hair's width from death, the nearest _near miss_ ever. Too near.

Mokuba was the one to deal with the aftermath while I sat by Yugi's bed in hospital. And I have to say, even though Yugi cured our minds, Mokuba can still be darn twisted if he wants to. My little brother published the whole thing - went even as far as to dig out Pegasus's motives and everything. They've written two books of the incident and made one rather bad movie which made Yugi the hero and so forth.

After that I named Mokuba as my vice-president… and soon after that Yugi introduced Ryô to us.

x

Yugi's second opponent is just as much of a disappointment to him as the first one, I suppose. He deals with the poor African warrior within fifteen seconds and walks out of the ring with slightest frown. "Seventy percent of the fighters have been eliminated once this round is over," I try to console him while sitting down to wait once more. "Only thirty-one fighters will remain now, and they have to be better than the last ones, right?"

He sighs, nods and smiles a little. "I guess that would be logical," he agrees and rubs his neck, looking at the fighters that still remain in the waiting room. While there are people from other nations as well, one can't help but notice that priority ate Asians. That seems to lighten his mood a bit. I chuckle at him and lean my head back, preparing to wait for until Yugi is called again.

"Excuse me…" one of the Asians ask in Kemet's native tongue, his pronouncing limping even worse than mine. "What is the language you speak?" he glances at Yugi.

"Our native tongue," I answer while tilting my head just slightly into the side, assessing the man. The man looks very Chinese to me, so… "It's called Japanese," I continue in Mandarin. "You haven't heard it before?"

The Asian - all the Asians - looks surprised before smiling a little and shaking his head. "It sounds similar to our tongue, but I cannot understand it," his Mandarin is definitely much better than his hieratic. "You speak Mandarin very well."

"I speak many languages…" I nod thoughtfully while making a mental note to find out about this world's history. If Chinese people don't know Japanese, there is remote possibility that Japanese doesn't exist here in the way it does in our world. Maybe the islands are inhabited by Chinese or other Asians, maybe Japanese people never existed here, who knows.

"May I inquire your names?" the Chinese man asks. He motions to himself. "My name is Wu Zhou."

"My name is Kaiba, and my slave is called Mutô," I motion towards Yugi who raises his eyes a bit at the sound of his name. "He's the one fighting, but I suppose you've already figured that out."

"Of course," Wu Zhou nods, glancing at the other Asians side ways. They seem curious as well as the man speaks again. "To have made this far, Mutô must be skilled. And he stands like true fighter. Has he had a teacher by any chance?"

I blink at the question a bit. A teacher? Turning to Yugi I repeat the question in Japanese. He smiles a bit. "In some circles of martial arts, under whom you've apprenticed has a great weight," he explains to me. "Some people even assess fighter's strength by the name of his master."

"And you? Did you have a teacher in that manner?" I ask curiously. I paid for his martial arts training, yes, but I didn't really know much of it. Yugi was rather secretive about it - mostly because he didn't want me to butt in it before it was too late to stop him.

"No, master Kaiba. I had several teachers from different forms, but no actual master and no actual style," he sounds a bit amused. "Not in the manner these people wish to know. One could say that I had many teachers but I was never anyone's apprentice."

"Hm," I nod and turn to the curious looking martial artists, repeating Yugi's answer to them. They look disappointed and intrigued in the same time. I lean my head back and smile a bit. Mystery there and mystery here, it seems no matter where we are Yugi will always rouse curiosity.

Because the numbers of the fighters have been cut dramatically, we don't have to wait for long before Yugi's number is called, along with fighter number thirty-four. To Yugi's delight, thirty-four is an Asian. As I follow the manager and the Asian-fighter, I smile at the way he flexes his shoulders - definite sign that he considers this opponent more worthy than the two of before.

I once more take stand near the judges as my bodyguard and his opponent take the stage - this time without another battle raging in other end of the stadium. The fight is announced and hush falls upon the crowd as Yugi bows down to his opponent. Surprisingly enough, the Asian doesn't bow back - he actually looks pretty surprised by Yugi's gesture. Maybe martial artists in this place don't honour their opponents like they do in our world.

Then Yugi waits, standing silently still. The Asian takes a fighting position, measuring Yugi with his eyes for a moment before attacking. Yugi blocks the hit with his wrist without expression, doing the same to the two next ones. The Asian fighter smirks widely before whirling around to snap a kick towards Yugi's shoulder - only to have Yugi easily to avoid it by bending his body.

Small smile starts to bloom on Yugi's lips as the fight really begins. I fold my hands and smirk as Yugi easily avoids and block the kicks and blows, enjoying for now his usual dance. The time limit must annoy him greatly, though. Usually he takes at least five, ten minutes enjoying his dance of untouchable avoidance. This time he can't, and all too soon dance of avoidance turns into a battle.

I sigh as my smirk melts into proud smile. Gods… I never get tired of seeing him like this. Times like these he looks like another being entirely, something greater than any human I've seen before. With his arms and legs bare, one can see how Yugi turns his entire being into a weapon. Each blow and kick is fluent and nimble like the breath of wind. With bare feet he moves around his opponent, still untouched. So fast, so beautiful, perfect.

It's in times like these when I don't mind Yugi's servitude at all. At times like this I am deliriously happy that he is loyal to me and only me. I hate when this happens, but I also love it. For a moment I don't feel guilty at all, just very selfish. I know it's wrong, but it feels so right. Greediness I have never been able to suppress raises its ugly head and I feel possessive of him. Extremely possessive.

As the time limit draws near, Yugi moves to finish the battle. His opponent tries to desperately fight back, but has no chance as Yugi uses his speed and his knowledge of acupuncture to his opponent's demise. With series of lightest taps to various, crucial points, he renders his opponent not unconscious, but immovable, frozen.

The Asian fighter falls to the ground, stiff as a board. Yugi steps back and stands proudly before bowing down in respect. When his opponent doesn't stand up, he is declared winner and the audience roars with cheers. Yugi smiles slightly as he walks back to me. "Mine," I murmur to him while he takes his sandals again.

Yugi looks surprised for a moment before bending into one of those half nod half bows of his, which he demonstrates only to me. Bow of a servant, of a slave. "Of course, master Kaiba," he speaks softly and when he raises his eyes they are tinted with blue.

I nod sharply before turning to follow the manager back into the waiting room. In the stage some people are grading Yugi's petrified opponent out of the stage while the crowd continues to howl in their appreciation. Yugi follows me with slight smile lingering on his lips, his eyes half closed in strange contentment. I wonder if it's because of what I said or because of the fight.

Soon I'm again sitting down in the waiting room while Yugi takes his spot by my side, folding his hands and leaning back to the wall. He doesn't bother redressing his sandals, knowing that the pace of the fights is about to turn quicker. Three fights down, four more to go.

After the third round is over and there is only sixteen fighters left - eight of them Asians, two Africans, one European, one Russian, two Kemet's natives, one man who has hidden all of himself underneath his night blue robes and of course Yugi - one of the managers of the tournament walks into the waiting room. "Due to the fact that the tournament has processed quicker than anticipated, there will be forty-five minute break before the fights will continue. You may do as you wish for the following time as long as you return on time before the fourth round commences."

"Forty-five minute break," I translate to Yugi as the other fighters stand up to leave.

"Good, you need something to eat anyway, master Kaiba," Yugi nods. I chuckle before standing up. Together we leave the waiting room and head to the market place to find something to eat.

x

Weakness… I don't like that word. I did once, when _weakness_ was just something I could use against my enemies to bring them down - when weakness was Gozaburo's cruelty that allowed me to drug him, when weakness was the arrogance of way too many people who in the end were too easy to take down because of it… when weakness was just a word I used to describe feelings with. I even liked the word when I found weakness in me - it was like sword I used against my own fault and cut it off from me.

But then I met Yugi. At first I thought there was no soft spot, no fault in him, that he was like impenetrable wall. But he has a weakness, the greatest fault of them all. His one flaw that is so deep that one could call it perfect. You don't usually see it and when you first do you think it's his greatest asset, but it really isn't.

Self sacrificial.

Yugi cares for me and does everything for me. He cares for Mokuba and got him a bodyguard - bodyguard whom he cares for also. He even cares for his little pet project, Malik… but he doesn't give a second thought to himself. And I don't just mean the way he throws himself to the bullets for me, as horrifying as that is it's only the tip of the ice berg.

When Yugi first came to my mansion and started to work as my servant even though his ankle was still broken, he didn't care for himself. He woke up early, cleaned, washed the laundry, cooked, washed the dishes and so forth and so forth until he went to bed. He didn't even stop to eat, only drinking water here and there to keep the hunger at bay. It didn't take him long until he collapsed, already anaemic from the orphanage. I had to order my other servants to force him to eat to keep him fed at first, even after that he still forgets to eat now and then.

When he gets cut and bruised, he doesn't tend to himself. Each time he gets wounded I have to drag him into the hospital to get treated, otherwise he wouldn't do anything about the wounds. Few times when he has been ill with infections and such, he still tried to work no matter what - once he attended to one meeting as my bodyguard even while he had very high fever. If he has a headache, no matter how bad it is, he doesn't take aspirin.

He probably wouldn't bother with showering if he didn't know that I like my work area hygienically clean.

Mokuba was the one who got him to pay some attention to his own health by saying that he wouldn't be able to serve me if he was sick and weak - which probably another reason why Yugi took up martial arts and Chinese medicine.

But even so, he doesn't really care. And somehow it's even more frightening, than the knowledge that if it was needed he would die for me.

x

He's enjoying himself. Anyone can tell that just by looking at his face. His eyes are sparkling and wide with the excitement. Even with the time limit pressing upon him, Yugi enjoys the battle immensely. I don't really understand why it's so enjoyable to him - it's not _just_ exercise to him. There is something more in it, especially now that this fight, his sixth now, seems to be harder than all the rest. This guy, another Asian, is really giving my bodyguard run for his money.

I'm glad, though. Nothing is as rare as seeing Yugi enjoying himself like this, and I will never get tired of seeing that blue sheen in his normally neutrally amethyst eyes. It's strange, but the more excited he gets, the more innocent he looks. His eyes widen, the smile on his face is something between playful and happy… making me realise that he is still only sixteen. He usually feels so much older than that - older than me and than anyone I've ever met.

He's really working for this victory though. His fourth and fifth battle were pretty much disappointments to him - first was against European and another against Russian, and neither could give him much of a challenge. At least not like this guy can. I think he almost hit Yugi just now, and that's an extreme rarity. I've actually seen only Wheeler and Ryô manage that in our world these days. Gardner and Taylor are good as well, but not this good.

I smile at Yugi who jumps quickly back to avoid being kicked to his chest. He flips easily to his hands and then back to his feet, doing all kinds of aerobics with ease of someone who has the agility of a snake. His opponent chases after him, only to have Yugi step aside him, Yugi's back brushing gently against the man's shoulder before Yugi brings his hand down to chop the man sharply to his neck. His opponent avoids the attack barely, making Yugi's smile widen before my bodyguard moves to attack again.

Glancing towards the table of he judges, I see that Yugi's time is running out. The hourglass holding sand for exactly five minutes has only little bit of sand left. Looking back to Yugi I see that he is no longer paying attention to the time, too consumed by his enjoyment. I sigh. I really don't want to end his enjoyment, but I don't want him to lose to tournament either, not because of something as silly as time limit. "You're running out of time!" I call to him over the howling and cheering of the crowd. "Finish it!"

Yugi glances at me over his shoulder, his eyes for moment flashing between red and blue, before settling to his neutral amethyst. He shifts a bit and kicks into motion. The Asian has no chance as Yugi's fast hands work over him, speeded by my order. As quickly as he attacked, Yugi jumps back and bends into bow even while his now frozen opponent is in the process of falling down.

"I'm sorry," I say to him after he has been declared winner. "I know you liked that battle, but the time limit…"

"I know," he smiles to me. "Thank you, master Kaiba."

I look into his eyes, but I can't tell if he's mad with me or not - not when his eyes maintain that hue of purple. I sigh to him and glance around for some indication as to what next. There is only one battle left - only one opponent for Yugi to beat - so we probably don't need to return to the waiting room… or do we?

"There is still one battle to be fought before the final battle," one of the managers says to me. "So if you would wait in the room for a little while…"

Ah yes, of course. Yugi was number forty-two, and the battles started in number order so Yugi is what remains of fighters between one and sixty-four. That will make his final opponent will be the one of the fighters between sixty-five and hundred and twenty-eight.

We head back to the waiting room. As we walk in, we pass by two fighters who are walking out - one of them is one of the Asians, the other is the man in night-blue robes whose face I still haven't seen. Glancing after them as they pass us by, I frown slightly. Hooded cloaks aren't exactly proper fighting clothes, are they? "Which one of those two will be your opponent?" I ask from Yugi, knowing that he can determine which of the two is stronger.

"The hooded man, master Kaiba," Yugi answers without hint of a doubt.

"Why him?" I ask curiously.

"I can't hear his steps or breathing and I can't feel his presence. It's as if he's not even there and that takes skill," Yugi shrugs and smiles. "He'll probably give me hard time in the final battle."

I glance at him while taking seat. He walks pass me to his usual spot, and as he leans back I realise that I can't hear him, and I can't feel him. His breathing makes no sound; I can't even see his chest rise with it. If I didn't know subconsciously that he's always behind me, I probably would be constantly surprised by his silent presence. I know many of my workers constantly jump with shock when they realise that he's there. It makes me wonder when was the last time I _heard_ his footsteps. His breathing I have heard, though. It's kind of hard not to when you have your ear against his chest.

I smile slightly and turn to look towards the doorway that leads to the arena. "Silence is the measure of skill then?"

"Not silence by itself, no. Anyone can be silent if they really try. That hooded man is silent in many ways, though, not just by walking and breathing silently," Yugi looks thoughtful for a moment. "He can suppress his very physique; control it to the point where there is no single muscle in him that isn't under his minds control, no bodily function that he cannot manage. He can probably control his very heart beat as well."

"With that control he smothers his own presence until he feels like nothing at all," Yugi continues as I look at him curiously. "His can control perspiration until he no longer sweats, blood flow so that his temperature stays constant... his skin is probably very cool to touch."

I look at him now more sharply. Now that I think about it… Yugi has been fighting in six battles today under scorching sun, but I see no sweat on his skin. I know I'm sweaty just being here, but he isn't. Reaching my hand, I take his hand into mine. His fingers are cool. Now that I think about it, they're always cool. "You can do that too? Control your body to that extent?" I ask, and I'm not sure if I'm horrified or awed as I examine his knuckles with my thump and his palm with my fingertips. He's almost cold, making my fingers feel like they're radiating with heat. His hand is also dry and rough while my hand is sickened with sweat.

"Some can," Yugi nods with a slight smile. "I can. It took long to learn, but I did. I had to."

"Had to? Why?" I eye him with confusion, but he just smiles and doesn't answer. Looking back down to his pale fingers I frown a bit. "But isn't that dangerous, controlling your of perspiration? Especially in place like this. Doesn't that heighten the risk of becoming over heated?"

"Not when you don't get over heated in the first place, master Kaiba. With this method you can control your body warmth to the point where risk of hyperthermia is no longer concern at all."

"But in the desert…" I think back to it. He did sweat there, and he made the scarves…

"One of the disadvantages of his skill is that it requires energy to maintain," Yugi shrugs. "Energy comes from food and in desert we had food scarcely. So I didn't uphold that level of control."

I nod thoughtfully. I guess that makes sense. Though… "I guess with this technique thing you can also control your reactions and what you sense."

"Yes," Yugi nods easily.

So that's why he doesn't seem to feel pain at all. He first suppresses it and then controls himself into the point where nothing slips pass his mask. It explains lot of things - how he can get up after being shot, for example. "How many people can do this?" I ask from him.

"I've seen only two aside from myself. One was the man who taught me how to do it and other is that hooded man," Yugi answers.

I frown. Yugi has seen lot of fighters, so it means that this skill is very rare. By the sound of it it's also very difficult, so it takes someone very skilled to know it at all. "Who taught it to you, by the way?" I ask. "One of your martial arts teachers?"

"Actually no, it's not martial arts skill at all. It was taught to me by an Egyptian," Yugi shrugs glancing down to our still joined hands with amusement. "Strange guy named Shadi."

I glance at our hands too, and quickly release his hand. Before I can say anything, we are interrupted by one of the managers. "The final fight will begin as soon as you're ready," the man says, his eyes curious as he looks at me and then at Yugi.

"Yes, of course," I murmur in Kemet's language and stand up. "Time to fight," I say to Yugi in Japanese and we leave the waiting room once more - hopefully for the last time. Outside the crowd is cheering loudly, and Yugi's opponent is waiting for him in the ring. Not surprisingly it's the hooded man.

Leaving his sandals at my feet, Yugi walks to the ring with his eyes glued onto his cloaked opponent. I fold my hands and examine the two as they stand just staring at each other, measuring each other. Strange… very strange. Why am I suddenly getting déjà vu feeling when I look at the two of them?

As Yugi bends himself into respective - really respective, this is bow he only gives to very tough opponents - the hooded man brings his hand to the hood of his cloak. My eyes widen as he pushes the cloth down, revealing his face and hair. I'm not the only one shocked; a hush suddenly falls upon the crowd as the no-longer-hooded man undresses his cloak entirely, revealing bare muscular arms and black sleeveless Egyptian styled linen cloth with similar hem as Yugi's torn abaya. His skin is darkened like all the natives of this land have, and his hair is platinum blond.

It's Malik. Yet it isn't. This isn't the skinny computer genius I has as my surveillance expert, no. This is tall, strong and deadly kind of Malik, total opposite to Malik I know. His hair stands up in wild spikes making him look slightly startling and his lavender eyes don't have the twisted mirth Malik has, instead they are consumed in cold cruelty. This man is a warrior if I've ever seen one, even with that amount of gold on him he is a warrior.

This man is not our Malik, but the Malik of this world.

I turn to look at Yugi, who is staring at the double of his pet-project with wide eyes. For a moment I worry that he'll do something drastic or something strange, that he doesn't realise that this isn't our Malik… but he does realise. I stare in wonder as honestly delighted expression spreads to his face. What is this now? How can he be happy to fight this man, this alternate-Malik…?

Then I realise. Of all the assassins that came after me, Malik was definitely the best one. He gave Yugi a race that tested my bodyguard greatly - and then there was the whole pet-project thing… Malik was Yugi's best opponent, hands down. But they worked in different levels - Malik is a thinker ad Yugi is a worker so the battle between them wasn't the kind of Yugi strives for. This man, however, this alternate-Malik is what Yugi is, a warrior.

I chuckle out loud and shake my head. Of course. Yugi has probably been fantasizing of a fight like this ever since he met Malik.

"It's general Marik!" one of the judges whispers in shock to another judge. "Do you see that? It's general Marik! Did you know he would be here?"

I glance at them. "General?" I ask with curiosity.

"You don't know him?" The judge eyes me with shock. "He commands the armies of our Pharaoh! He has fought in the Tournament of Strength four times before, and he won every time! He is one of the greatest warriors of all Kemet!"

I see. I turn to look at the two fighters who are still eyeing each other. In our reality, Malik is a thinker and criminal beyond belief, here is a warrior and apparently lawful citizen - and not just that but general of an army. Interesting. I wonder if there are other counterparts here as well - thinker counterpart of Ryô and Yugi… worker counterpart of me? That would be interesting to see. Quite coincidence to see this… _Marik_ here, though. The odds of this meeting are minimal to say at least, but here we are.

The fight is finally signalled the shocked judges. Yugi and Marik eye each other for final moments before Marik pulls out dagger out of a golden sheath that hangs on his hip. Then he _bolts_ into movement, rushing towards Yugi with a speed of a race car. My bodyguard smiles widely as he slips away from the daggers reach, his smile never leaving as Marik switches from slashing to kicking and tries to whip his ankle into Yugi's chest. Yugi easily flips out of his reach, arching back to his hands and flipping back with ease, soon again on his feet.

Slash, slash, thrust, slash… this Marik is certainly quick but so is my bodyguard. Yugi's open enjoyment seems to annoy the man, though, because the pace quickens even more. He isn't just fighting; he's trying to _kill_ Yugi. I guess all his six earlier opponents are dead, then. They don't frown upon killing in this tournament, after all.

The dagger doesn't allow Yugi to dance his usual dance though. For a moment my chief of security frowns, before making the strangest bend of his body, which ends with whiplash of a kick. The general makes no sound as the impact to his hand sends the dagger flying, but he doesn't look happy either. Yugi grins wildly before stepping back and finally, for the first time in the entire tournament, takes a fighting position. He's finally getting serious.

"Mine," I murmur to myself as I watch Yugi and Marik exchange blows and kicks, Yugi avoiding being hit easily an Marik blocking most of Yugi's attack. There are evenly skilled, anyone can see it. Marik is taller, looks physically stronger and he has speed, but Yugi has been strengthened by this world, he is very quick when he wants to be and he has skill. Both also have more experience beyond imagination. Both have seen more battles than they even remember. And neither, it seems, is willing to back out.

Breathtaking. Just like the clash of Yugi and Malik, this fight is breathtaking. I haven't seen Yugi like this out of situation where I'm in danger. In fights that are held in rings and stages, Yugi usually just plays. This time he is actually serious - this time he can be as he doesn't need to fear about killing his opponent accidentally. The general is more of a match to Yugi than anyone I've ever seen Yugi fight before.

Yugi glances at the hour-glass over his shoulder. I glance at it as well - two minutes left. Smiling Yugi turns back to his opponent, and jumps. Marik looks shocked as Yugi kicks him sharply even whilst being in mid air, but the expression is wiped away by another kick that sends the man flying backwards. While Marik demonstrates his own acrobatic skills while getting up, Yugi jumps after him with another kick already whipping towards the man. The general manages to block it just hair's width away from his ear, yet Yugi doesn't stop there. Still mid air, he brings his knee up and straight to the man's jaw.

I smirk widely. Yugi isn't called the Gentle Wind just because he slides pass his opponents defence and attack like wind. Only the _Gentle_ part comes from that. Yugi is called _Wind_ because of this. Because when he stops using his hands in fighting, he seems almost airborne.

The Marik gets up nimbly while Yugi chases after him. The crowd is cheering madly now, but I hardly hear them. Instead I frown at the glint of light I saw from Marik's direction - damn it, he has the dagger again! I unfold my hands with agitation and lean forward. Notice it, Yugi, notice it!

Marik thrusts forward sharply, the dagger heading towards Yugi's heart… but Yugi saw it. The blade is now trapped between Yugi's palms just in front of his heart. Did it hit? I crane my neck to see, but don't as Yugi bends his hands in way that forces the general to relinquish his hold on the weapon. Throwing the dagger away with such strength that it hit's the stone wall of the arena, Yugi whirls around and snaps into attack.

I frown. He's fighting differently now, harshly. This isn't the way he fights in ring… instead he's fighting like he does in real situation. What made him snap like that, the dagger? I can't see his expression from this angle, but I guess it wouldn't matter in either way. Yugi is fighting like he does when he fights to save my life. Marik has no chance now.

The blows Yugi lands are all backed by his knowledge of acupuncture. Marik grunts out in pain as Yugi systematically blocks the control he has over his body. Then, with a sharp kick, it's over. The general stumbles to the ground… and…

I hold my breath as Yugi jumps back. Everyone holds their breaths. Everyone stares. Moment passes.

Finally Yugi bows deeply to his fallen opponent. I sigh as the crowd explodes into cheers. Marik won't be getting up for a while. Then I steel myself and stare at my bodyguard. Tournaments and real fights are different to Yugi; he never fights like that in ring. What made him snap into action like that?

My bodyguard turns to me and then walks to me with puzzled expression in his face. As he walks closer, I see it. The cloth has torn, revealing smallest pit of his chest and thin trail of blood. Marik's dagger did hit him. The wound isn't deep, there would be more blood if it was, but it is there. It runs over the small round scar Malik had left on Yugi's skin years ago.

"What a coincidence," I say to him when he stands before me.

"Coincidence, master Seto?" he asks with amused smirk. "Coincidence is the energy project failing. This," he raises his fingers to run over the small cut, "isn't just a coincidence."

Coming to alternate reality where alternate Malik hit's Yugi into exact same spot where our Malik did… yeah. But then what the hell is this? "I don't believe in fate."

"I do," Yugi smiles and looks to the arena, where the managers are tending to unconscious Marik. "I've believed in fate ever since we met for the first time."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask suspiciously. He just smiles and shakes his head.

xx

Loong chapter... oh well. Some people asked about characters who will be showing in this fic. I wasn't going to say because that is still spoiling, but if you're really so interested then let's spoil. Marik is given, Bakura will also make appearance, same with Atemu and Seth. I havent decided about the rest.

Sorry about possible grammar errors and thank you for reviews :)


	5. Fifth part

**Fifth part**

Even though there are striking differences between Yugi and Ryô, no one can deny the fact that they are cut from the same stuff. It's not just the fact that they both look thin and weak when they are the exact opposite, or that they can be both darn headstrong when they want to, but their personalities are rather similar as well. Even though Yugi is a servant and Ryô is a caretaker in the literal sense of the word, they still share many qualities.

They are gentle, kind, understanding, empathic and protective in ways that makes one wonder if they _can_ feel negative emotions at all. I've never seen either of them show hate or actual anger - both of them have _snapped_ few times, but it's more like rush of protectiveness and instincts than actual rage. They can be insulted, but they don't take real offence for it - unless it's direct insult to their honour or to their protégés, me and Mokuba, at which time they will take swift action.

They are unlike anyone I've ever met. They differ in strength of will - even though both are very wilful, Yugi holds authority and dominance Ryô has not been able to reach. Maybe it's because of what has happened to him in the past or because he feels naturally inferior to Yugi, but Ryô at times can seem almost shy and timid when compared to stubborn Yugi. In a way it's good, though, it makes them match us, their protégés, better. Yugi's stubbornness is just what is needed to match against my arrogance, and Ryô's gentle caution is just what my reckless little brother needs.

I wonder if Yugi shaped Ryô to be like that. Yugi was automatically what I needed whether I knew it or not, but I really don't know much about Ryô's history. Or maybe Yugi _picked_ Ryô because of his personality, who knows. I'm very glad for it in any case. Ryô is not only good for Mokuba, but for all of us. He is the brother Yugi doesn't have, the friend Malik never has had, the confidant of the secrets my little brother can't tell to me, and to me he is the assurance that Mokuba is okay even when I'm not around.

x

Usually in these tournament kind of things there is cheering, few photographs and moment where Yugi is handed his price by the judges or who ever is in charge of the tournament. After that we walk away and head home. Here it's different, though. Whether it's because this tournament is held only once a year or because it's the only tournament they actually have, I don't know, but it's annoying.

The judges have congratulated Yugi for beating general Marik at least six times now - even Yugi is starting to look suffered even though he can't understand a word. The audience is still cheering as if Yugi was the second coming, and by the looks of it they aren't stopping any time soon. Then there are that group wealthy Egyptians who have at some point entered the arena and are now eying Yugi with interest - the kind of interest you show to your new car or new house before buying it. This whole thing is ticking me off, especially since I'm getting hungry. I just want to leave and head to the inn. It's getting late too.

"This is getting ridiculous," I murmur to myself with annoyance. "Mutô, come here," I nearly snap to Yugi who is still being surrounded by the judges. He turns his eyes sharply to me, his eyes shining with something that can only be relief, before he rather rudely pushes the judges aside. Ignoring their cries of outrage, he walks to me and steps to stand step and half behind me.

"I'm getting tired with this," I snarl to the judges. "I brought my slave here to fight and win, which he now has. I would appreciate if you would just hand his price to him so that we could leave."

"Leave?" one of the judges as incredulously. "But of course you cannot leave yet! As the winner of the Tournament of Strength, Mutô is privileged to join the final celebrations of Ennead which will begin soon. Leaving at this point would be silly"

"That's lovely, but he won't be going," I glare at them. "When we entered there was no mentions of any celebrations, and thus we have no obligations to enter - nor do we have any interest towards any kind of festivities you might enjoy. I would appreciate if you would be kind enough to hand Mutô's price to him."

"B-but!" Other judge stutters. "Mutô defeated general Marik! Everyone wishes to speak to him!"

"Mutô cannot speak your language, nor does he speak any language you would understand," I grind out through clenched teeth. "Hand over the accursed price so that I and my slave may leave this place."

"Excuse me -" someone has he guts to actually interrupt me. I turn my probably blazing eyes towards the one who had spoken - it's one of the wealthy looking Egyptians who are still eying Yugi. "Hello, my name is Sekani, I'm the Lord of the section of -"

"I don't care," I intervene, making the dark skinned man in nearly see-through linen huff slightly.

"Well, I was watching your slave fight, and what a magnificent fight it was! One could clearly see -"

"Do you have something you actually wanted or are your going to just chatter mindlessly?" I glare at the man before throwing another glare at the judges. "The price, please," I nearly growl at them, making them finally jump into motion.

"Hm, very well then, let's be blunt," the nobleman huffs again as if insulted. "I was wondering if you would be willing to sell your slave to me. I assure you I can pay a hefty price for him."

I stare at the man in disbelief while another noble man steps forward. "I can pay one third of his price more than he is willing to pay!" the man intervenes before yet another wealthy Egyptian speaks up. "I'll pay the price double!"

"Are you people _insane_ or just plain idiotic?" I ask incredulously after they've fought against each other's biddings for a while. "I have no intentions whatsoever to sell Mutô to anyone, not _now_ or _ever_." Even the thought of giving Yugi away for money is absolutely ridiculous, and very notion of it makes my blood boil. Yugi is _mine_, mine, mine and only mine! How dare these people even _suggest_ I would give him up?

"Just name your price, and I -"

"Get the hell out of my face before I sick Mutô _at_ you!" I growl at them it anger and loathing. Thankfully they seem to get the point because they quickly shuffle back. I glare them heatedly, until they finally turn around and make good of their exit. "Disgusting little people, to even suggest… absolutely idiotic…" shaking my head in anger I turn to Yugi. "You are mine," I growl in Japanese. "You got that? _Mine_!"

"It's crystal clear, sir," Yugi smiles to me fondly and just bit amusedly. I wonder if he would be as amused if he knew that those people just tried to buy him from me. He would probably chase after them and do something irreversible to them. The idea of telling him sounds inviting for a moment, I would love to see him slaughter those annoying little bastards.

I take a deep breath and attempt to calm myself down as I turn my eyes back to the judges, who finally have what I presume to be the tournament price with them. The price is in form of leather satchel which makes nice full-of-golden-coins kind of sound when it's moved. "On behalf of the council of -" one of them starts to speak grandly.

"Yeah yeah," I murmur and wait with annoyance until the speech is over. From the corner of my eyes I see that the healers have finally managed to revive general Marik - at least somewhat, he looks pretty out of it. Finally the grand speech comes to finish and they hand the heavy looking bag to Yugi. "Okay, can we leave now or do you have something _else_ to annoy me with?" I ask and glare at the judges, daring them to keep me here any longer.

Thankfully they're smart, for once. "N-no, you are free to leave now."

"Thank you," I snort to them before turning around. "We're leaving," I say to Yugi who nods and follows. He looks a bit amused while I still fume slightly, muttering curses underneath my breath. I glance at him as he rubs his hand across the newest cut in his chest. "It's not bad, is it?" I ask while we slip into the waiting room to walk out through the door there.

"It already stopped bleeding," Yugi answers. "There is no need to worry."

"Well, we need to clean it up in any case. I don't want you to develop any infections in this place," I frown.

"As you wish, master Kaiba."

I'm quick to stalk through the market place and to the inn where we are staying, and Yugi follows me easily. I'm aware that I'm snarling when I ask the staff of the inn to get me some pure alcohol and some kind of cloth to clean the wound with, but I don't care. At least their fright makes them work faster, and I'm quickly given glass bottle along with few pieces of linen and bandages. I don't bother thanking; I just stalk to our room and order Yugi to take seat before he can even start arguing.

"What as gotten you this winded up, if you don't mind me asking?" Yugi asks carefully while undressing the belts and then the abaya to give me better access to the wound. He certainly has tied his scarf tightly, as it doesn't budge at all when he pulls the clothing off.

I grunt with annoyance while soaking one of the linen pieces in the alcohol. "Just something the noble bastards said, annoying little insects…" He doesn't even wince when I press the now wet cloth over the cut. It's not really that big and it did really stop bleeding moments ago, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

He chuckles. "I see," he mumbles and examines my face with his eyes for a moment. "What shall we do now, master Seto? We have enough money to go by for a while, but…"

"Hmm…" I sigh and let the final shreds of my anger melt as I concentrate onto what he said. What to do now? "These people have no technology as we know it, so there is very little we can do in hopes of getting home," I mutter somewhat reluctantly. "All we really can do is to wait for Mokuba to figure out something."

"He will, master Seto, I'm sure he will," Yugi says soothingly, attempting to smooth the frown from my brow.

"Yeah, he will. It might take few years, but he probably will," I sigh and let my shoulders slump. "All we can do is wait, but I really don't know, Yugi. What will we do in the mean time? Live in inns such as this or get occupations or something? I don't know. We could travel after fighting tournaments and live from the money you can make, but what kind of life that would be?"

"Adventurous," Yugi says amusedly.

"Yes, well, beside that," I swipe the linen over the wound final time and then lower my hand. "Should we keep ourselves apart from these people and just wait or should we make lives for ourselves here? You could make it as a soldier or something of the sort, but what could I do? All I know is technology and such knowledge is useless here."

"Unless you become inventor, and re-invent some of the early inventions of our world in this world," Yugi muses again with amusement in his tone. "But, just to make it clear, master Seto, I won't be getting a job as I already have one. I will fight in tournaments such as the one I fought today, but I will not be leaving your side."

"I figured as much," I smile and shake my head. "How about we just take this day easy and think about it all tomorrow, hm?"

"That sounds good to me, master Seto."

We don't to get to take the day easy for long, though. Not much after Yugi has pulled his abaya back on and I've taken seat in one of the divans to rest, our comfortable silence is broken by knocking. "Forgive me for interrupting your day, master Kaiba, but there is a man here to see you. General Marik wishes to speak with you," female voice speaks through the door.

Well, isn't that curious. I frown a little and glance at Yugi. "Malik's counterpart wishes to speak with us," I translate to him.

"Hm?" he glances at the door curiously. "He is skilled but not skilled enough," he says in a way of saying 'there is no harm in letting him inside, I can kick his ass'.

I nod. "Open the door," I order, after which he stands up and walks to the door. There is one of the women working in the inn there, and dark-cloaked general is standing behind her. General Marik glares a bit at Yugi, but there is also great deal of curiosity in his face.

"Shall I bring you some drinks? On the house, of course," the woman says while throwing glances between Yugi and Marik - apparently word of the tournament's final battle has spreaded.

"That would be nice," I answer. She bows and leaves to fetch the drinks for us while I turn my eyes to Marik. This man is in high stature both physically and politically, maybe it's better to be polite, just this once. "Please come in, general. What may we do for you?"

"You may satisfy my curiosity about this one," Marik motions at Yugi while stepping into the room. His words aren't exactly rude but they aren't polite either, and from the gruffness of his voice one can easily tell that he is very used to barking orders, not asking questions. "How can a twerp like him be so good? There is only one man who has ever beaten me before, and he has the advantage of both strength and height on me, something your slave doesn't have."

"Looks can be deceiving," I smirk at the man while the general takes seat on the other divan. Yugi remains at the door, but his red-tinted eyes are watching over Marik with hawk-like sharpness - and by the look of the way the tanned general glances at my bodyguard Marik hasn't missed it either. "Everything is possible when you put your mind to it. My slave has trained hard and long to get to the point he is at, and he had the determination to be the best," yep, I'm proud.

"It can't be just that," Marik frowns and glanced at Yugi again. "He's small, he's thin, and he looks weak. How can he be so strong? There has to be something else there, some kind of magic or something," his eyes flicker to the thick exhibit of leather and silver studs that is the three belts at Yugi's waist. "Some kind of enchanted item… that makes him stronger."

I can't help but to burst out into laughter. The man thinks Yugi's belts are the cause of his strength. Turning to Yugi, I smirk widely. "He thinks you're strong because of your belts," I speak in Japanese.

"Belts determine strength, they do not enhance it," Yugi answers calmly, reminding me of the times when he had no black belts and he still beat the crap out of masters who had high-level ones.

I shook my head amusedly. "I meant that he thinks those belts you are wearing now are magical and are making you stronger."

"Even if such thing was possibly, it would be dishonouring to rely external strengths," Yugi frowns a little. I deliver his message back to the general, who looks surprised and little approving.

"He doesn't know our language?" Marik asks curiously. "Even whilst you speak it so fluently?"

"He only speaks our native tongue," I shrug. "And I learned your language out of necessity."

He narrows his eyes thoughtfully and looks up while the servant of the inn returns with a tray here I can see two glass bottles, two goblets and bowl of fresh fruits and berries. I nod as thanks to the woman before she leaves, after which Yugi closes the door and walks to stand behind me.

"Where is it that you come from?" Marik asks while pouring himself a goblet-full of whatever that liquid is. "I have never heard names such as yours nor is the language you speak familiar to me. It sounds like something that could've originated from the east, but I'm sure I have never heard it being spoken before and I've spoken with emissaries of all the countries of east."

For a moment I'm tempted to ask how he knows our names, but then I figure he either asked from the managers of the tournament, from the staff of the inn and he heard me say Yugi's last name just few minutes ago. "Where we come from, hm…" I muse to myself for a moment how to answer to that. I can't exactly say that we come from another reality; the man would think I'm insane. "We are from… long ways from here. You could say we are little lost." I smile amusedly to myself. Little more than little, actually.

"Lost?" his eyes, lavender just like Malik's, flash with curiosity. "How did you end up being… lost?"

"By doing something I probably shouldn't have done," I shake my head. Mental note, never mess with the fabric of realities again. "It doesn't really matter. Right now we are waiting for our people to come and take us back home - if they can."

The look in Marik's eyes is very strange now. Curiosity flash with strange suspicion and realisation before he smothers the emotions down. "I… see," he coughs slightly and takes a sip from his drink. "And you need to wait here, in Djanet?"

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter where we wait, really. If they will come to get us, they will find us no matter where we are." They damn well should be after all that money I invested on the tracking system. Yugi and I both have small chips inserted underneath our skin that should tell our locations to Malik no matter where we are. With those they should be able to track us even here, should they ever get here anyway.

"Hmm…" the general eyes us for a moment, before looking down to the goblet. "Then you wouldn't be against leaving here, would you? I mentioned that there is a man whom I have never been able to beat. He would be delighted to fight against good opponents such as… Mutô," Marik glances at Yugi. "I would be willing to provide for the journey and I'm sure he would be willing to host you in Akhetaten."

Yugi's best opponent has someone who has beaten him? That interests even me. I turn to Yugi and translate what Marik says. Immediately Yugi looks curious. "Marik is possibly best I have fought against in a long while, master Kaiba," he says thoughtfully. "To be able to fight against someone even better than him… but the choice is, as it always is, yours," he bows his head a bit to me.

"You would want to try, wouldn't you?" I ask him and nod to myself when his eyes flicker between neutral amethyst and colder shade of purple. "We have enough money and next to nothing to do. Why not." I turn to the general. "I guess we have nothing else to do," I say to the man, making him raise his head in excitement. "Just out of curiosity, who is this man who beat you?"

"High priest Seth of the pharaoh's court," the general shrugs. "Who else?" he says it flippantly, as if anyone should've known that. I guess it's widely known information that this… high priest is great warrior. Though aren't priests supposed to be all skinny and all about prayers?

"I admit, I know little of your culture," I speak slowly. "To my knowledge priests are rarely warriors."

"Seth has always been a special case," the general snorts. "But I suppose he ended up being more of a warrior than priest because of the pharaoh. Our king is the wisest man known to our land, strongest magician as well but physically he isn't as strong as most. Seth, being the pharaoh's cousin, has been working as the king's protector ever since they were small boys."

"I see," I nod; though the idea that Yugi will be fighting against pharaoh's cousin is kind of remarkable. "Well then, when shall we leave?"

"How about tomorrow morning at sunrise? I shall be waiting in front of this inn with everything ready for travel, all you need to do is to show up," the general stands up swiftly. He makes a stiff bow. "I thank you for your time."

"I thank you for this chance," I nod after him and ponder this turn of events after the door closes behind him. "Apparently you will be fighting against a high priest who is also the pharaoh's cousin and bodyguard," I say to Yugi. "This is definitely going to be interesting."

x

To each other, Malik and Ryô are something like siblings. They are both projects of Yugi, both are incessantly loyal to my bodyguard and both look up to him as if he was their big brother or something of the kind, so it is natural that they formed bond with each other. In the moment Malik joined the freaky family of ours, he and Ryô have been very close just because Yugi moulded them both. And in time, they have gotten even closer to each other than they are to Yugi, even though both still without question follow Yugi's every order.

Not that there is anything wrong with it. Ryô needed a friend that wasn't his teacher or his protégé and Malik needed something to ground him further than Yugi could. Even though Yugi is always there for the two, they needed something more than just authority and that they found in each other. Now they work seamlessly with each other - something which I've seen on more than one occasion. When they work as partners, they are quite effective too, especially if Yugi gives them the go.

Sometimes I wonder if they sleep together as well. It wouldn't surprise me much, not with how close they are these days. Nothing wrong with that either, as long as they continue their jobs as they should. I wonder what Yugi would think if they would sleep together… no need to wonder, actually. I bet he's pushing them to it anyway, as he wishes only the best for his two pet-projects.

x

"What are you doing?" I mumbled drowsily while Yugi shifts away from under me, forcing me to lay my head against the mattress instead of his chest where it formerly rested. "Where are you going?"

"It's almost sunrise, master Seto," Yugi says softly while standing up from the bed. "We wouldn't want to agitate general Marik by being late, now would we?"

"Screw the general, I want to sleep more," I mumble and bury my face into the sheets. Mmm… Yugi's warmth still lingers in the mattress. It's not as good as the real thing, though. "Get back here, pillow."

"Not this time, master Seto," he chuckles. I hear him moving around as he pulls his sandals on, covers his hair once more with the black scarf and then pulls his robe on. Groaning with annoyance I look up to see him going through our belongings. Before we turned in yesterday we visited the market place one more time to buy something more proper to carry our things in, which results Yugi now going through the insides of two brand new shoulder bags.

He nods with satisfaction and glances at me. "You should get up, master Seto."

"I'm so going to have a headache today, I can tell," I murmur with annoyance while sitting up and stretching. "And I'm going to miss sleeping on bed, I can tell that too." Half blindly I reach for my abaya, and find it from the end of the bed where Yugi folded it in the night. When I can't really figure how to dress into it, Yugi sits beside me and does it for me.

"Back in home you are used to getting up this early," he reminds me amusedly while warping the fabric belt around my waist. "Why is it so difficult for you here, master Seto?"

"I didn't have as comfortable pillow back home," I yawn and rub my eyes to get the fuzziness of sleep out of them.

"I'm flattered," he smiles and ties the white linen scarf to cover my hair and neck before taking my sandals and slipping them into my feet. Finally he takes my white robe and helps it on me. "Are you hungry now? There are still fruits and such left from yesterday, if you wish to eat."

"I could eat a bite or two," I yawn again. "But I really just want to go back to sleep. Damn that general, why does he have to leave so early?"

"I'm sure he has a good reason," Yugi says whole fetching few of the fruits for me. Then he walks to the window to glance outside and see if Marik has already come. "I think that's the general," he glances at me before taking the shoulder bags and settling them on himself so that their straps cross at his chest and in his back, the bags themselves testing at each side of his hips. "Shall we go?"

"Is that everything?" I nod that the bags while taking a bite of one of the fruits he gave to me. "Our clothing, money… everything?"

"Food and water as well," Yugi nods.

"Very well then. Let's go."

I'm still feeling a bit woozy when we finally step out into the cool morning air. Marik himself looks just as freakily alert as Yugi does, making me curse all sorts of warriors in the back of my head. Didn't this feel early at all to them? "Good morning, master Kaiba, Mutô," Marik greets us stiffly from where he is standing with the camels - four camels with three of them with saddles and one carrying large baskets. "All ready to go?"

"Yes, yes," I murmur while stifling yet again another yawn. He nods and motions us to take camels before easily mounting his own. I mount the one after him and Yugi takes the last one which is followed by the camel carrying the baskets. "How long will this trip take?" I ask while giving my ride sign to get up from the ground. It's surprising how easily I got adjusted to these animals with the caravan, I muse while easily keeping my balance as the knobby-kneed animal stands up.

"Usually I can make the journey from Djanet to Akhetaten in five days," Marik answers while pulling the reigns of his ride to get it stand up as well. "All set? Let's go then."

Djanet is quiet as we ride through it. The marketplace is still and very few people are out yet. As the sun starts to peak over the cliffs surrounding the place, it looks almost beautiful. This wasn't a bad place to visit. It actually looks like piece of long lost history - they don't have cities like this on our world anymore. All temples like the ones that are popular in this city have been lost in our world, only their ruins left. These days' habitats are made of metal, concrete, glass and wood, not stone.

Suddenly I realise that Yugi and I are living every archaeologist dream. This place isn't exactly like the past of our world, but it is very close to it. I hadn't even thought of how privileged Yugi and I are to be able to see this all. Even though it was an accident which let us to this place and we are desperate to get home, this is certainly a unique experience.

"Definitely something to write home about," I murmur with a slightest smile.

"Did you say something?" Marik asks over his shoulder.

"Just musing to myself how different this place is of our home, nothing more," I shrug. Definitely different. It's almost a pity I don't have a camera.

"What is your home like?" the general asks with a strange tone of voice - it's almost curious but it's also something else, strange sort of anticipation and excitement. Or dread. Who knows.

"It's…" I frown. How to describe Domino? Or Japan? Or our world? "Well… in our home there are buildings much taller than the ones they have here," I speak thoughtfully. "Made of different materials, some of them are reflective like mirrors." I smile at the memory of my company building - the tallest building in Domino and very nearly the most bizarre one as well. "We don't have this much sand there, mostly everything is covered with either plants or pavement… and we have whole lot more water back in our home than you have here," he chuckle at the memories of little water ways, fountains, ponds we have in the many parks and such of Domino. Compared to this dry place, Domino was almost wet.

"I see. It must be interesting place to live," the general muses out loud.

"Certainly, if you can survive it." It would certainly be nicer place if my life wasn't threatened every other week.

"It is dangerous there?"

"For some and quite peaceful for others. I'm unfortunately of the former group and therefore need bodyguard such as Mutô with me at all times."

Yugi is silent as Marik and I talk about things that don't really matter - mostly Marik asks me questions and I answer way that tells something but reveals really nothing. After all, how could someone of this world truly understand our way of life and the society we belonged into? Most of my answers probably only puzzle him, but I don't really care. He doesn't really know us and he doesn't need to understand us.

As Djanet is left behind, we follow the shadow of the cliff towards south, according to Marik. Were not really on the dunes yet, this area is more like dried up plain than dunes, but it looks like most of our journey will happen on the sand. And soon enough we leave the shadow entirely and start to ride up and down the dunes, just like we did with the caravan. Eventually our lazy chatter quietens down and we just ride in hazy silence as the sun rises. Behind me, I hear how Yugi shrugs his robes off and not soon after I do the same, unable to wear it in this heat

I sigh and glance up to the cloudless sky. Why do I have a feeling that this will be long trip?

In the third day of our journey, we encounter a caravan - yet it isn't even remotely like the caravan we journeyed into Djanet with. No, this one caravan consists only of three camels, and long line of people in… shackles, all chained into each other so that none of them can stray even few steps from the path they are walking.

"Criminals," Marik explains, seeing my confused expression. "Thief's, murders and such. They are probably being taken to Memphis where they will be sold as slaves."

I look at him curiously before eying the line of criminals again. "You don't kill your criminals then?" I ask with surprise.

"Only the most heinous ones. Our pharaoh established few years ago that if the criminal is physically fit and relatively sane, he will become a slave instead of being imprisoned or killed," the general shrugs. "Some think its useless mercy as some of these criminal-slaves escape, but mostly it has been a good change in our society. Criminal-slaves are cheep and without most of the rights of usual slaves, so they can be more useful that usual slaves. And as there will be always criminals, there will also always bee criminal-slaves."

"Hmm…" I nod thoughtfully. It's not such a bad idea. It was their own fault for doing what they have done so why would they deserve any rights? As slaves they will at least be of some use.

"Master Kaiba?" Yugi suddenly asks from behind me with a strange tone of voice. I look at him over my shoulder and find him frowning worriedly. "What is the purpose of that? Why are they chained?" he motions at the criminals. I tell him what Marik told me, making him narrow his eyes curiously. Then he turns strangely burning eyes to me. "Is it possible to buy slave from that caravan right here and now?"

"What?" I ask with confusion. "Why would you want to buy a slave?"

Yugi doesn't answer, just points. I frown and follow his finger to… oh my god.

There is a thin young man in that slave caravan, shackled between two bulky looking men, looking thoroughly miserable. His tanned skin is bruised, bloody and cut here and there, he is only dressed into ragged dark loin cloth and his short hair is as messy as hair can get - his hair, if not little greyed by dirt, is clearly white. There is a rather large scar underneath his right eye, but the eyes themselves are familiar, dark amber eyes that can switch back and forth between fierce gold and blood red just like Yugi's can switch back and forth between sapphires and rubies.

"Oh my god," I whisper out loud. Seeing Malik's counterpart in fighting ring and as a general is one thing because in a way that makes sense, but Ryô's counterpart as criminal, on a slave caravan? Shaking my head, I frown darkly and turn to Marik. "Is there a possibility that I could buy a slave from that caravan right now?" I ask.

Marik frowns a little. "I guess, but I don't see why you would… Criminal-slaves are usually used only in constructions and mining, as they are extremely poor as house-slaves."

"It is possible then," I murmur and nod to Yugi. "Excuse me, but I must delay our journey a bit," I say to Marik before giving my camel a sign to get down. Yugi does the same and as confused Marik watches the two of us walk to the caravan, Yugi walking with strange strength in his steps. While I talk to the leader of the caravan, Yugi eyes the slaves with narrowed eyes.

"To buy a slave?" the leader asks with a confusion. "I usually don't sell the slaves until I get to Memphis - I get more money there, so… and these slaves aren't trained in anyway at all, they will most likely fight against you and will most probably try to run too."

"It doesn't matter. I only want one," I say with a frown. "And I have enough money to pay for any price you might get in Memphis."

This seems to interest the slaver-trader who quickly dismounts his camel. "Very well then. Which one is the slave which caught your eyes?"

I motion at Ryô's tanned, scarred counterpart, who raises his darkened eyes with a confused and suspicious frown. "What has he done, anyway?" I ask curiously.

"He's a thief and a tomb robber," the slave-trader answers with disgust while taking out chain of keys from the folds of his robes. "He was caught defiling one of the oldest tombs. He's classified as low level slave because he isn't physically fit and he is most likely to find a way to escape. He's good at picking locks, you see."

"I see," I nod and glance at Yugi, relaying what the man said to him.

Yugi nods as if he had been expecting it. "Can I keep the shackle that's between his hands?" he asks, which I relay to the slave-trader.

"Of course," the man says and unlocks the lock keeping the slave connected with the others. I eye the tanned teen with slightest frown. He's really thin, no where near the physically strong and healthy Ryô I know. As the slave-trader tugs the messy haired teen forward by the shackles of his hands, he stumbles and nearly falls, before regaining his balance clumsily. By the looks of it, walking in the desert has had its toll on him, especially on his bare feet.

"Here's the key for the shackles," the slave-trader hands a small key to me. "Now let's talk about price…"

While I haggle with the slave-trader, Yugi takes the key from me and steps closer to Ryô's counter part. The tomb robber frowns at Yugi while my bodyguard unlocks the shackle from the elder teen's left hand. Then Yugi easily snaps it into his own left hand, so that the two of them are connected by the chain. The messy haired thief hisses but there is very little he can do.

Thankfully the slave-trader doesn't ask much for the white haired tomb robber. "Money," I motion to Yugi, who opens one of the shoulder bags and takes out the large purse holding his winnings. The eyes of my new slave, the criminals of the caravan and of the slave-trader all widen at the sight of the large purse, but I don't pay attention to it while I take out the price he asked and hand it to him. Then I turn to leave, Yugi following me and tugging my new slave along.

"Why?" Marik asks with confusion as we return to him and the camels. "Is there something special about this boy?" he asks while eying the slave I bought.

"One could say so," I smirk wryly before turning to the slave. "Your name," I demand.

The thief narrows his eyes with hate and doesn't say anything. I eye him back with slightest frown before shrugging. "You'll speak eventually," I promise him and return to my camel, knowing that Yugi can handle the thief easily. I chuckle little at the idea of Yugi taking a _third_ pet-project. His first was excellent, second was spectacular… this third one will have no chance against Yugi's power, no matter how the thief will try. I'm willing to bet that Yugi has him tamed by the time we make it to the Akhetaten.

Marik eyes me and Yugi curiously for a moment while Yugi easily manoeuvres the slave to sit in the back of his camel's saddle. Then the general just shrugs. "You two are certainly interesting," he murmurs and we continue our way on the dunes.

When we stop for the night, Yugi starts to tame the still defiant slave. While Marik makes fire and starts to fix food for us, Yugi starts attending to the white haired thief. I sit back and watch it with slight amusement and fascination. I've seen it before with Malik, but back then I could only see it through security cameras. Seeing it up close is new and it is pretty rare event as it has only happened once or twice - depending if Yugi did it with Ryô or not.

After forcing the rebellious thief to sit down gently, Yugi sacrifices a little bit of our water to start and clean the thief. At first the white haired teen tries to push Yugi away, but like always hands are useless against the Gentle Wind that is my bodyguard. Soon the thief just glares daggers at Yugi, who gently cleans the bruises and wounds he has in his torso and arms before cleaning the thief's face as well.

"What is he doing?" Marik asks eventually with slightly curious tone.

"What he does the best," I chuckle and glance at the warrior. "Watch closely, general. This is his ultimate skill - this is what makes Mutô priceless."

The general frowns a little and starts watching even while tending to the simple meal he's making. I turn to look at my two slaves as well, and smile a little at the just slightly worried look on the thief's fact as Yugi moves behind him. I wince with sympathy as Yugi starts to clean wounds in the thief's back - whiplash wounds.

After moment Yugi stops cleaning the thief's back, and takes something out from his shoulder bag - the bottle of pure alcohol we got from the inn when I cleaned the wound Marik left in Yugi. By the frown on the thief's face, I can tell he knows what the liquid is while Yugi smears a bit of it into piece. He looks confused though, as if he doesn't know what it's for.

"What is that?" Marik ask when the thief hisses loudly at the feeling of Yugi wiping the wounds with the alcohol soaked fabric.

"Alcohol," I shrug.

"Huh?" he looks at me with confusion.

I blink slowly. These people don't know that alcohol can be used to clean wounds and that by using alcohol you lessen the chances of infection? Apparently not because Marik is confused and the thief looks like he's being tortured - the slave clearly doesn't know that it's for his own good. I shake my head in disbelief. These people really know nothing of medicine as I know it. "It doesn't matter, I suppose," I murmur and turn to look at Yugi and the thief again. The thief is holding his eyes tightly closed now, biting his teeth hard. I guess it stings more than just little and I guess it might feel like torture since he doesn't know what alcohol does to wounds.

"How does it look? No infections I hope, because I really doubt they have penicillin here," I speak in Japanese.

"No, right now it doesn't look like any of these is infected, master Kaiba," Yugi answers and smiles a little. "His feet are another matter, though."

I glance at the thief's feet to see that the bare soles are torn with small scars. The thief has been without any footwear for a long while; there are blisters and wounds over blisters and wounds in his soles. I grimace just slightly, wondering where he has walked with those wounded feet of his, what kind of amounts of bacteria he is carrying in those old wounds.

Placing the alcohol soaked linen aside Yugi takes out small jar of salve he got from one of the merchants back in the caravan when we were journeying to Djanet. While the thief angrily wipes his eyes to rid himself of the tears of pain, Yugi starts to apply the salve to the wounds, making the thief start with surprise and look at my bodyguard over his shoulder.

"Food?" Marik asks from me, offering the simple food he made. I thank him and take my share, before returning to watching Yugi do his thing. I think the poor tomb robber is pretty confused now.

I decide to take pity for the thief. "In our culture," I speak to him, causing him to snap his darkened eyes to me. "Medicine is whole lot different than the healing you have here. In our culture with alcohol and similar substances we clean wounds to make sure that they don't get infected or anything of the sort. It stings, but it's for your own good. The salve will, hopefully, ensure that your wounds will stay clean and heal as they should."

The thief blinks slowly before frowning.

"Alcohol really can do that?" Marik asks with curiosity. "Because that sounds a bit better than burning wounds we use in battle field if we have no healer around."

"It does, doesn't it? It's actually more effective than burning, as long as the wound is kept clean afterwards," I answer and look at Yugi again. "Do they need bandaging?" I ask in Japanese.

"I don't think so; most of these have closed already. As long as he doesn't lay on his back and rub the salve off he should be fine," Yugi stands up, taking the alcohol, linen and the salve with him before moving to sit before the thief's feet. "These are another matter entirely, though. These I need to bandage."

"He'll clean your feet now," I say to the thief who looks a bit apprehensive at the idea. "He will first clean the wounds, salve them and then he'll bandage your feet to keep the wounds from getting dirty."

"I still don't get it," Marik mutters. "Why are you taking care of one pathetic thief? Why does that… brat matter?"

I smile thinly while the thief gasps at the feel of the alcohol in the wounds of his feet. "Because of who that thief could've been," I answer. Because in a way that thief is Ryô and because Ryô is one of the four people Yugi really cares about.

"I… see," Marik mutters, eying me and my bodyguard again with curious suspicion. I just shrug and start eating while Yugi gently continues cleaning the thief's feet. After that Yugi salves the wounds gently, before carefully bandaging the feet. He finishes the whole deal by undressing his own sandals and slipping them into the thief's feet so that the bandages wouldn't get dirty.

After my bodyguard has tied the yarns of the sandals, the dark-skinned, scarred thief is eying him with strange look about his eyes. "Bakura," the thief says, speaking to Yugi. He apparently understood that Yugi can't understand his language because he simply motions himself and repeats; "Bakura."

Yugi smiles gently and motions himself. "Mutô."

I chuckle. Yep, that thief will be one of Yugi's pets by the time we make it to Akhetaten.

xx

Just so that there is no confusions, Yugi and Seto are both still wearing the head scarf things, so no one has really seen their hair styles, and as they are both very pale in comparison to the people of Kemet...

Thanks to everyone for reviews and sorry about possible grammar errors.


	6. Sixth part

**Sixth part**

Yugi has sung to me. First time he did it was back when I was still twelve and he had just entered my life, when I realised that my life was changing for the better after Gozaburo's death. It's strange how I reacted to that change; I was having nightmares of the past, horrible nightmares. They were so loud that Yugi would sometimes wake because of them even though back then his room was across the corridor. And then he would then hold me to comfort me and… and sing to me.

There is only one song he sings. His grandfather had sung it to him when he had been small and had told that Yugi's mother had sung it when Yugi had still been in her womb. In a way it's the only thing Yugi has of his parents, that song. It's not exactly good song, and Yugi's singing voice is average at best, but because he really loves the song it's always laced with his emotions, and I always loved to listen to it, even now.

The song itself is some old lullaby about old Japan and some goddess. Yugi told me once that it's song about goddess Benzaiten, goddess of everything that flows, who tamed a wicked dragon and then married it. I've never really paid attention to the lyrics of the song, mostly because when Yugi sings it, I usually I fall asleep half-way through the song. Even now, years after. And I swear, I never sleep as well as I do when Yugi sings to me.

I remember one thing though, I remember it form every time he has sang to me, even from times when I was half unconscious because fatigue or something similar. Every time he sings one line of the chorus, he looks at me and smiles in a strange way. "Playing haunted songs to charm the dragon king…"

x

"We are being followed, master Kaiba," Yugi speaks softly in the day following the day when I bought Bakura. I glance at him over my shoulder to have him smile at me in almost carefree fashion. "There is lot of them - at least twenty - and few of them may be even quite skilled. Yet the ones who aren't give them away, moving close enough for me to hear and sense them." The tone of his voice and the way he speaks delivers clear message to me. Act normal, they are close enough to hear and see.

I shrug carelessly as if he had been talking about the weather. "Any ideas of their intentions and can you handle them if the worst will happen?"

Bakura, who is sitting behind Yugi on the camel's back, looks at me and Yugi with slight confusion but doesn't say or do anything as Yugi shakes his head. "If their intentions were good, they would've came forth a while ago instead of shadowing us as they do. And with the general here nothing they can throw at us should be hard at all to handle, as long as they don't have bows."

"Bows?" I ask with honest amusement.

"Arrows are harder to fight against than swords and knifes when you have no shield or shelter to take," Yugi shrugs. "I don't believe they will attack immediately, master Kaiba. They will wait until we will make camp and attack in the night, when they have the shadows covering them."

I nod thoughtfully. "Will it give them advantage?"

"Not against me," Yugi answers with a slightest smile. "And most probably not against the general, either."

"Yeah, you probably could fight with a blindfold," I snort. "How about motive?"

"Hmm…" Yugi thinks about it for a while. "I don't think we have managed to make any enemies here yet, master Kaiba. So, they could be enemies of the general - someone in his stature should have fair deal of adversaries… or they could be after the money I won from the Tournament of Strength. It is bulky amount of gold, after all."

"And few thousands of people saw you win it," I nod. "Though none of them should know where we are, right?"

"That is what puzzles me as well," Yugi nods.

"Hmm… Do you think I should speak to Marik about this?" I ask with curious tone though I am worried. Over twenty people… I've seen Yugi take out many people at once before, but twenty is a lot.

"He already knows," Yugi shrugs. "And as I see, he now knows you know as well, so there is no need to say anything."

I nod. "What about the thief?" I ask and don't look at Bakura. "You're still chained to him by your left hand. That is going come into your way when fighting, you know."

"When the time comes I'll remove the chain, master Kaiba," Yugi shakes his head. "It would be favourable if I could chain him into something else, something that isn't movable, but in a desert… I could chain him into the camels, but then he could use them to escape. At this time I think it might be best if I will just… release him and hope that he won't have time to think about escaping."

"How about me?" I ask. "You could just transfer the shackle to me. It's not like I'll be doing any fighting anyway."

"No, you won't and no, I will not expose you to him without supervision. Even if it will be only some moments, I cannot risk it, master Kaiba" Yugi smiles and his eyes burn warmly - sign of just bad idea he thinks it is. "Even if he is the counterpart of Ryô, he is a thief and criminal. He acts mellow because he has to, because he knows that he can't fight me, but he knows how kill people."

I nod and turn to look front when I hear the general try and get my attention. "If we'll pick up the pace," the general speaks, and for a moment I'm worried he will give us a way to the people following us. "We might make it to an oasis I know to be on the way," the general smiles - and I know he's acting. Until now I've never seen him smile at all. "I think we all could use chance to freshen up before we get to Akhetaten tomorrow."

Oh yeah. Well be there tomorrow. "That sounds like good idea," I smile to him and call over my shoulder to Yugi. "The general knows an oasis near by. We'll be picking up the pace so that we can make it there before the night."

"Oasis, huh? That's good. There's bound to be palm trees there, and I can use them to bind… the thief," Yugi nods.

The general urges his camel to pick up the pace. I do the same and behind me Yugi follows us. The pace is quicker than before but still quite lazy - not to preserve the camels, but to make sure that our shadows can keep up. For a moment I wonder why we don't just take off and leave them behind, but then again we don't know if they have camels or not, if they can keep up or not. This way Yugi and Marik can face the people shadowing us on their own terms.

The sun slowly sets to our right as we ride up and down the ridges of the dunes. While riding I wonder what Yugi and Marik think, if they are planning the upcoming fight. Probably, though Yugi always works the best when he is surprised and therefore hasn't had any time to think at all. Though… the more he relies on in stinks the scarier he gets.

"Hmm…" I frown and raise my hand almost subconsciously to my temple. My head is starting to ache. Maybe it's the heat… well, at the oasis I can cool down, so no use thinking about it now.

By the time we get the spot of green to our view, however, my brains are on fire and trying their hardest to get out of my skull. Yugi has noticed it, I can feel his gaze burning into the back of my head, but he hasn't said yet anything. I sigh as we approach the oasis. He'll probably acupuncture me into next week when we finally stop. Oh well, it won't be the first time.

I sigh when we finally get to the shade by the palm trees. While I dismount, Yugi is already taking confused Bakura towards one of the trees. Bakura looks a bit betrayed when Yugi chains him into the tree, but the apologetic smile Yugi gives him seems to placate him a bit. And then Yugi turns to look at me.

"It's not really that bad," I try to say while Marik looks at us with confusion.

"Really?" Yugi's eyes are tinted with red as he walks forward. He raises a single eyebrow at me. "Please, sit down, master Kaiba. I will check in a moment just how bad it really isn't." I know that voice, that steel tint in it. With a sigh I accept my defeat and sit down to wait while he and Marik tend to the camels.

"Whipped by your own slave, aren't you?" Bakura speaks to me with amusement. I glance at the thief as he sits down to the grass and leans against the palm tree to which he is chained to.

"You will find soon enough, thief, that he has everyone whipped," I answer to him with similar amusement even while rubbing my temple. "And if he doesn't, then he sooner or later will."

"You're confident that he is unbeatable," Marik notes.

"He is," I chuckle and glance at Yugi who is taking the camels closer to the water so that they can replenish their water supplies. "He has never lost, nor do I believe he ever will." I hope and pray that he never will… because fear that in the day he will be defeated, I will lose him.

"I guess we'll see it soon enough," Marik murmurs quietly while glancing at the sunset. "I guess I'll make us something to eat then."

While he starts to prepare the food for the four of us, Yugi ties the camels to one of the palm trees and turns to me. Yeah, I'm going to be so acupunctured. Bakura chuckles nastily at me while Yugi sits on his knees behind me. I bow my head a bit while he runs his fingers up my back and right to those points.

"I'm not sure how much that will help," I murmur while rubbing my burning eyes. "It's the same headache I had before Djanet."

"The… magic headache?" Yugi stills a bit.

"Please don't call it that," I frown a bit. "It sounds… unscientific."

"Hm…" Yugi stops what he's doing for a moment. "I think I'll try a bit of acupuncture if you wont mind, master Kaiba."

"If I don't mind? Don't you usually do it whether I agree or not - and… weren't you just doing acupuncture?" I ask him with confusion.

"No," he smiles while taking something out of one of the shoulder bags. "That was acu_pressure_. This," he shows the small case he took out. At first I think it's a deck-holster, but then I see through the see-through lid what's inside. Silver needles with small spiral-carved -handles. "This is acupuncture."

"Aww, shit," I murmur. Needles. I like needles now and then, you know, when they deliver truth serum into my enemies and such… but not when they are inserted into _me_. "Ah… do-do we have time for that? I mean… the fight, the people who were tailing us -"

"They will wait until we settle down to sleep and attack then, when they think we are weak," Yugi says calmly while taking out small piece of linen and the bottle of alcohol he still has. "Please undress the top of the abaya, master Kaiba; I need direct access to your back."

I frown at him worriedly only to have him narrow his eyes at me. With a sigh I do as he asks, slipping the abaya down my shoulders to pool around my waist, thankful for the fact that these types of clothing have loose collars. Marik and Bakura both raise their eyebrows at me while Yugi sterilises the needles with the alcohol on the linen.

"I'll try to stimulate certain nerves and maybe disturb others to lessen your pain sensitivity in your head and possibly increase certain functions which will hopefully ease the pain's passing," Yugi says while taking one of the needles. "Open and close chi paths as my teachers said, unblock certain flows and disturb others."

"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" I ask with just slightest whine.

"It shouldn't hurt at all, master Kaiba. Now just relax your muscles and breathe calmly…"

Marik and Bakura both look shocked now, staring at what Yugi is doing - the general seems to have forgotten about making the food entirely. I try and ignore them even while I try an ignore Yugi. Then I feel strange tugging sensation as if someone is twisting my skin just slightly. "Hey… that feels kind of… good. How come I didn't feel the… pain?"

"Acupuncture needles have been developed thorough the centuries to the point where they have perfect shape. The tip is so well formed and so sharp that the intersection is on nineteen cases of twenty absolutely painless," Yugi answers. "Right now I'm stimulating a certain point by turning the needle, so you should feel slight tugging sensation."

"I feel it," I nod. "Just out of curiosity, how long did you study this? How good are you?"

"I have been studying it as long as I've been studying martial arts and I'm still perfecting the most complicated techniques," I can hear the smile in his voice as he takes another needle and inserts it just as painlessly as he did with the first one. "However I got my licence to practice acupuncture two years ago - graduated as the best of my class."

"Yeah, I remember that," I nod. Yugi's licences in acupuncture and shiatsu are actually the only degrees he has. "Where did you get the needles anyway?"

"I carry them with me always," he answers. "You never know when you need them."

"W-what is he doing?" Marik finally asks, after watching as became too much for him.

"His healing arts," I answer and sigh with relief as Yugi turns the needle gently in my flesh. "It's working too, the headache is decreasing."

"How can needles in your skin lessen a headache?" Bakura asks with partial disbelief and partial curiosity.

"Well, I can't say I understand it perfectly, but… hmm..." I frown. Scientific explanations about nerves and such won't probably be that well understood by these people. "Well. In human body there are certain pathways of energy, certain patterns in which the energy flows. What Yugi is doing is manipulating those pathways, unlocking blocks and such in me to ensure perfect flow. And when the flow is perfect, I won't feel any pain."

"Doesn't that hurt?" Marik asks with strange fascination while craning his neck to see how Yugi inserts the needles.

"The needles are so sharp that I can't feel it," I would shake my head, but decide against it. I don't want Yugi to miss his mark. "And Mutô's knowledge of human anatomy is so good that he can avoid inflecting any pain."

There is short silence as Yugi continues on what he's doing, and Marik and Bakura watch with fascination. Soon my headache is almost entirely gone and I only feel throbbing pressure in my forehead and temples, but that I can easily handle. I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of the pain leaving my tortured head.

"How is that, master Kaiba?" Yugi finally asks when my back is a practical pincushion.

"Perfect," I sigh as I feel him turn the needles in my flesh one at the time. "You're really good at this, but that really shouldn't surprise me after what I've experienced in your hands."

He chuckles a bit. "I'll let these stay in your back for few minutes, but then I'll have to remove them. They can't remain in you when the fight begins, I can't risk them being pushed deeper accidentally."

I nod and take a deep breath. Who would've known being used as voodoo-doll would be this enjoyable?

"Your people have the strangest healing arts I've ever seen," Marik shakes his head in amazement while concentrating onto the food. He glances up carefully. "Just for the sake of curiosity… hmm… well, I know this person who got into an accident when he was very little, and after that he has been… sick and incapacitated. He can still feel his legs, but every time he tries to use them he feels pain so strong that he will fall. He hasn't been able to walk single step without pain since," the general looks strangely hopeful and maybe even little beseeching. "Could Mutô's medicine help him?"

I frown a little and turn to Yugi. I tell my bodyguard what Marik just told me, causing him to frown a little. "Accident," he speaks thoughtfully. "I suppose he was injured. How?"

"To the back of his neck," Marik answers after my translation. "It was great luck that his neck didn't break. He can move his arms, head and torso normally and without any pain, but if he gets to his feet…"

Even I understand what that means. Damage to the nervous system. I relay the message to Yugi who contemplates on it for a while. "If he would be purely immobile waist down and unable to feel his legs then I would say right now that there is nothing I can do, but to me it sounds more like chronic pain rather than paralysis of the incurable sort," he mutters, deep in though. "I would need to see this person and determine how his pain works, what triggers it and to what extend to his legs work. Only then I would be able to tell if there is anything I can do about it."

I tell this to Marik, whose eyes flash a little with hope. "So there is a chance that Mutô might be able to do something?"

"His form of medicine is primarily used to manipulate, control and disperse pain in the body, so this is just what he does the best," I shrug. "If there is anything that can be done, he will be able to do it."

"Would he be willing to take look of the person then? To see if he can do something? He is in Akhetaten, so…"

"If it's alright with you, master Kaiba," Yugi answers while starting to pull the needles off from my back.

"He will take a look," I nod to Marik, who nods back in speechless gratitude before starting to tend to the food. I guess the person he's speaking off is important to him. Yugi pulls the final needle out, and helps the top of my abaya back to cover me, before taking my robe from the camel's back and helping it on to ward me against the cooling air of the evening.

Soon the meal is ready. Yugi puts the needles away again, and takes two shares of the food to take Bakura his share. The thief takes it with a smallest nod, and Yugi returns to my side.

"I guess we should turn in earlier today," Marik speaks while eating. "And in the morning freshen up before continuing our journey."

"That sounds good," I nod. I guess our shadows are close to hear. Well, I suppose it's time to begin the show.

We eat and then we prepare for sleep. Yugi gives Bakura a blanket before walking to me. Like in previous nights, Marik and Bakura say nothing as Yugi lays down and I lay my head to his chest, but they look at us with strange look in their eyes, wondering, suspecting but saying nothing aloud. I don't really care.

"How long now?" I whisper to Yugi while listening to his heartbeat

He sighs and warps one strong arm around my shoulders, his fingers coming to rub the back of my neck. "Tomorrow will be fifteenth day," I say. "This night is the fourteenth night we've slept in this world."

"Two weeks," I whisper and bury my face to his chest. "I miss home, Yugi."

"I know, master Seto. I miss home too," he pulls me close, breathing against the scarf covering my hair. "Now lay still and pretend to sleep. When I say _now_, you go to where Bakura is and try and stay out of way, alright?"

"Yes. Good luck, Yugi."

The silence and stillness that follows is maddening. To know something is out there and be unable to see it, to hear it… I trust Yugi without doubt, but this is tearing on my nerves. Yet he is completely still and silent, his breathing calm and his heartbeat steady. Calm and by all accounts asleep. How can he do it? I nuzzle into him with a sigh and enjoy his presence, his warmth and weight of his arm on my shoulder… comfort.

Five minutes, ten, fifteen, twenty… then I hear how sand rustles underneath someone's foot. Yugi's hand turns a bit heavier on my shoulder and I lay completely still yet tense, ready to spring into motion at his sign. Another crunch… a whisper, more steps…

"Now," Yugi whispers into my ear. Everything springs into motion. As I get up and half-blindly make my way to Bakura, Yugi is already up and moving. Somewhere I hear sound of metal screeching against sand as the general pulls out his dagger. Bakura starts with surprise as I nearly crash into him, but stills immediately as we hear sounds of the battle. Smacks, rushed steps, grunts and yells… screams.

"What's happening?" Bakura asks with voice which is heavy with sleep, surprise and maybe even fear.

"Well, it should be pretty obvious," I murmur with a frown while crouching down to stay out of the way and be as undetectable as I can be. "We're being attacked."

"By whom?"

I just shrug and listen while staring into the darkness while wringing my hands in my lap. I can see movement and I can certainly hear it, but nothing is really clear. Even while I remain visibly calm, my heart is beating hard and fast and I can feel shudders of trepidation run through me. Where is Yugi, who is he fighting now? Where is Marik? Are they winning? By the sounds of the cries and gasps of pain I can tell that someone is getting hurt and I hear neither Yugi nor Marik, but still… Each time Yugi fights somewhere where I can't see him, I worry.

Frozen, Bakura and I just listen and stare. I crane my neck every time I see flash of lighter shadow into the darkness, but I never see anything clearly enough. Its pitch black in here, with the palm trees covering what little light the stars could've provided. It's curse for me, but I guess it's a blessing for Yugi and Marik… at least I hope so.

Then I head a gruff voice which breaks all my thoughts. "You accursed bastard!" someone yells in the darkness in the language of Kemet. "Shoot him, damn it, shoot the little one!"

"No, they have bows," I whisper and listen intently for a moment. Then I remember that Yugi can't understand their language. "Yugi! They're going to try and shoot you!" I yell in Japanese into the darkness, to try and warn him…. and then realise that I really shouldn't have. Unlike Yugi who is covered with black clothing and therefore almost invisible in the darkness, my clothing are all white. I most certainly am not invisible.

I hear a sharp whistle that certainly sounds like nothing human can make - and it gets louder as if approaching me. I hear rushed steps. I hear a cry and then a soft, pained grunt. Yugi's voice. And I feel hot blood splatter to my face. Yugi's blood.

"Yugi," I whisper. I can see him, his eyes flashing in front of me in red and blue and impossible shades of purple. He smiles to me even while hacking softly and coughing blood. Even while that bloods splatters all over me. Even while he has an arrow sticking out from his chest. I crawl to him. "Yugi…" a whimper now. "Gods, Yugi, no…"

"It's alright," Yugi whispers and reaches his hand towards me. "You're alright."

"He's down! Shoot him again! Kill him!"

"Yugi, Yugi no! Oh god, no!" I scream now as his frame convulses with the impact, his eyes closing tightly while he grinds his teeth to keep the scream of pain inside. Into his back and though his stomach this time. "Yugi!" I cry out to him, my hands seeking their way to his face. "Please, this is a dream, a nightmare... Yugi..."

"Shh..." he smiles with bloodstained lips and warps his arms around me loosely to keep me still and protected by his body, shielded by his flesh. "It's alright, master Seto, you're alright…"

I tremble, my chest hurts, my head hurts, everything hurts, and he is _bleeding_…! Gods, he is bleeding so much! "No I am not! Yugi!" I cry to his chest even as his body quakes with another lethal impact.

Something snaps inside my head. Everything stops and freezes as if time had been stalled, yet it isn't. I freeze from the inside… and then I surge, I pulse and I throb. The darkness is pierced by white and blue and flames as cold as artic winds. It bursts into life from me and then there is only power. In me, in my command, around me, everywhere and nowhere… power to kill, to destroy, to create, to reshape, to alter and to change. Then there is only the feeling.

Rage, anger, hate. They hurt what is mine and they'll pay. My Yugi, my Yugi, _MINE_! They'll _pay_!

Eternity in a split of a second passes, everything unravels and breaks… I can hear screams of pain, I can _feel_ their pain and I enjoy it, I _revel_ in it. At my will they scream louder, at my will their pain turns greater and at my will they break apart. I can hear their skin burn, their muscles stretch and melt, their sinews snap and their bones break as if they were nothing but glass. I know how human body works, I know how to make it hurt and I do it until I hear how their very cells and atoms whimper in agony.

And then someone is singing.

x

The scars on Yugi's back, the one's which run over his shoulder blades vertically… they're there because of me, they're my fault. And I don't mean that they were caused by assassin who was coming after me, no, those scars are more personal than that. Because there was more motive behind them than just money and rivalry, because there was more there than the usual "I'll kill you and then I'll take over your company"…

Those scars were made by a pregnant woman of her early twenties whose husband I drove into suicide. It was accident, of course, the man had really done nothing to me and he wasn't exactly my rival either, just owner of small electronics company which, sadly, went out of business after I turned Kaiba Corp. from weapons toelectronics and inventions.

I read much about the little company's struggles afterwards. After I brought hologram technology into every house, certain companies started to wither away. They lost their customers, their finances and eventually started going into bankruptcy. Some of them dug themselves deeper by taking loans and such, and when they finally went out of business they were so deep in debts that they couldn't handle it.

This one man was one of them. He had started to build his company from scratch; employing little over twenty people and buying little bit of machinery until he had a decent income and could pay a decent pay check to his employees. He was well liked until when he was thirty he met this younger woman and married. They loved each other very much, and were even about to have their first child…

And then he started to lose his customers to me. He had to fire people to be able to pay to the rest, he had to sell some of his machinery - not that he even needed them that much in that point, having so few customers and buyers… he even took a small loan in hopes that the market would stabilise and he could get his customers back. He tried to keep his company alive for months, until finally he had no income at all. The company went down, and he was left indebted.

Everything fell over him all at once. The guilt for having to fire his workers, the bankruptcy itself, wife and the baby he couldn't afford anymore, the debts… he chose the cowards way out and ended it, leaving his pretty wife and unborn child alone.

The wife blamed me of it all, and of course she had a certain right to it. She came to me with amends that because I supposedly killed her husband, I would have to support the baby and so forth. It was relatively peaceful chat at first… and I was even about to do like she asked. Business world is ruthless and I can be a damn cruel when I want to be, but even I wouldn't kill man who is just about to be a father and leave his wife in ruin.

But then she pulled out two knifes and attacked. She was clumsy with her swollen belly at all, and of course she never made it to my desk. Yugi stepped into her way and in her rage she lashed him, hard and deep, scarring him all the way down to his bones. And while my bodyguard was frozen in pain and shock, she dashed around my desk and tried to get to me.

Ryô was the one who saved me, by shooting her. Then we rushed the woman and Yugi into hospital. The baby was saved, Yugi was saved, but the woman died. I now support the boy as a godfather or something of the sort while he lives with one of my workers. Ryô still feels guilty about killing a pregnant woman even if the baby didn't die… and Yugi never had the stitches removed from the cuts she made. They remind him of the time he nearly failed to save me and me of the time I had man and his wife killed over business deals.

Someday that baby will grow up, learn the truth and then he'll blame me. In a strange way, I don't mind it at all. Maybe because I know I deserve that blame.

x

I wake up tired, weak and drained. My head is dully throbbing and the earth spins even while I'm laying on the ground. Blinking slowly I try to grasp the reality around me, and make it stop spinning. First thing I come to be aware is that Yugi is not at my side, my head doesn't rest in his chest, I don't hear his heartbeats.

Turning my head to the side I try to seek him with my eyes. Instead I see Marik who is walking towards me with a frown on his face and dried blood in his hands. Bakura is also in my field of vision, chained into a palm tree and staring at something that isn't with a worried frown while biting his lower lip. The general frowns at me. "Finally awake, I see."

I close my eyes for a moment and try to sort my thoughts. Morning already…. and last nights there was that fight. Considering that we all alive the fight went well. I frown a little as something tugs in my mind, trying to get my attention. I remember strange flashes of blue and white, and - "Yugi!" I gasp and sit, looking around wildly for my bodyguard. He was hurt, I remember, blood, arrows, his bloodstained smile…

Then I see him and my heart skip's a beat. He's sitting by the small pool of water, on his knees and with the top of the abaya laying loosely around his waist. He has a bloodstained bandage loosely wrapped around his torso, but by the looks of it, his wounds don't bleed that much. I can also see that he has many acupuncture needles sticking out of the back of his neck and around his spine, even where the bandages cover his skin. He's sitting stock still, not moving at all… then he reaches his hand up, behind is neck and inserts a needle to his own skin. Yugi's treating himself.

"He's alright," I whisper with relief.

"He shouldn't be," Marik frowns while walking to the water and washing the blood from his hands. "He was shot three times, one of the arrows pierced his lung… he should be dead by now. He should've at least bled to death after he removed the arrows, but instead… I guess his healing arts are really powerful."

"Yes and he's just too damn stubborn to die," I sigh and close my eyes, steadying my heartbeat. He's alright, Yugi's alright. Not exactly healthy maybe, but he's alive. I glance at the general. "I guess you managed to win the battle then?"

He glances at me with disbelief. Bakura, who had been staring at Yugi, turns to me as well. "Me?" Marik asks with incredulity. "I did my part, but it was _you_ who finished it all. You really should've told me that you're magician, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" he frowns a bit when I stare at him with confusion. "You don't remember?_ You don't remember_?"

"You killed them," Bakura speaks softly, with a frown and mixture of awe and terror in his eyes. "After Mutô - or is it Yugi? - was shot, you snapped and just… killed them with magic. It was everywhere too, like storm of blue and white fire, though…" the thief frowns a bit. "At one point I thought I saw…"

I frown and close my eyes as memory of that artic fire flashes in my mind. I remember… it was like extension of my mind and will, it obeyed by every thought… but no. No, it can't be, right? "Saw what?" I look at Bakura to distract myself from the memory.

"Dragons," Marik answers for him. "The fire looked like dragons."

"You killed them all, and… you looked pretty insane while you were doing it," Bakura looks a bit uncomfortable now. "When they were all down you were still looking kinda mad and… and then Mutô - Yugi - started to, erm… sing and…"

"And you dropped down unconscious," the general says. "It was good thing too; I was beginning to fear that you would kill me too and rip the oasis apart or something similar."

I frown a little and turn to look at my bodyguard. "Yugi?" I call softly before speaking Japanese. "What happened in the night?"

"I was shot; you lost your mind and used magic, master Seto. I stopped you," he answers with a bit tight voice while pushing another needle into his own back - shoulder this time. He pauses for a moment and lets out a raspy cough, his frame shuddering a bit before stilling again. "Now you need to excuse me," his voice is a little strained now. "But I need to concentrate onto this."

I lower my head and nod. For a moment I wonder what he's doing, how is he helping himself with the needles… but then the thought of what happens over runs that thought. I killed people. With magic. I lost my mind and used magic wildly to just… killed them. "What happened to the bodies?" I ask from Marik.

"I took what was left of them away from the oasis so that they wouldn't poison the water, the vultures will take care of them," the general glances at me. "Are you magician, master Kaiba, do you have any control over your powers at all… or do they just run rampant and do what ever they will like they did last night?"

I frown a bit and look away. "I can't control them," I answer tightly. "But I've only used them twice, each time because Yugi was in danger."

"I thought his name was Mutô," Bakura points out. "Why is he Yugi now?"

"They're both his names," I shrug. "I usually introduce him just as Mutô, his family name, because Yugi is more… personal."

There is a short silence as all three of us look at Yugi who is now inserting a needle into his throat. "I tried to help him," Marik mutters quietly. "To bandage the wounds for him, because he did kind of sloppy work, but he didn't let me. And as neither of us can understand each other it wasn't like I could tell him I was trying to help…" he glances at me. "Will he be alright, master Kaiba?"

"He will," I answer without doubt in myvoice. I don't know how Yugi will do it, I don't know how he manages with a punctured lung and who knows what other internal injuries he has but he'll do it. He won't leave me alone in this place, he won't… die.

"Kaiba," Bakura speaks carefully. "Before he bandaged himself I saw that, um… he has lot of scars. Why? And why are the ones over his shoulder blades stitched up?"

I glance at him and smile sadly. "All scars Yugi has in him are there because of me. Those scars should be in _me_, they were meant for _me_, but Yugi never would allow it. So he took them instead, suffered the injuries in my stead," I turn to look at my bodyguard. "And the wounds over his shoulder blades… they're stitched because he chooses them to be. Because he doesn't want to forget. Because I don't want to forget."

"Forget what?" Marik leans in curiously.

"That all power has a downside. That success and failure can be determined by hair's width. That everything has a price," I smile sadly and shake my head. "That we are only human and therefore cannot always succeed in things we do."

The general frowns a bit while Bakura blinks slowly. I just shake my head and look at Yugi who has apparently stopped putting more needles into himself. My bodyguard takes a deep breath and lets it out heavily before bowing his head a bit. Then he glances at me over his shoulder. I wince a bit at the sight of the skin around the needles stretch and winkle as he moves - sign that they are deeply in his flesh and not just to his skin.

"If it's okay, master Kaiba I need to wait at least for half an hour before moving," he says. "By then I should be set to ride as well."

I nod. If he says so then it is so. "What are you doing anyway?" I ask worriedly. He's being strangely blunt and short spoken to me, it always means he's doing something he knows I won't like at all.

"Shutting down my right lung," he answers calmly.

"_What_?"

"It's the only way. If I don't then I will bleed to death internally," he turns to face the pond again. "And I can't die just yet."

"B-but… shutting down as in completely killing it?" I blink with shock. "There really isn't any other way?"

"Not without proper hospitals and doctors. And I'm not _killing _it, just turning it off so that I will breath only with my left lung."

I sigh heavily. I know he's right and I decide that I don't even want to know how he knows how to shut down his own internal organs like that. Must be some sort of acupuncture trick or something else. I nod weakly to him even though he can't see, and then turn to the general. "He'll be ready to go in half an hour."

The general nods. "I guess I'll start making us something to eat, then. We should reach Akhetaten by the evening."

xx

Kinda sucky chapter, but next one should be better. There is only bit left of this anymore, maybe two chapters, so I'll concentrate onto finishing this as soon as possible, and then start concentrating onto my other stories. Thanks to everyone for reviews they are much appreciated.


	7. Seventh part

**Seventh part**

I've dated. It's strange to even look back to it, back to the failures and utter fiascos I've gone through, but I've taken women out to dates. Few of them were part business meetings, part dates, others were supposed to be business meetings that had ended up escalating into further and few were just normal dates - or as normal as they could be when both I and whom ever I went out with had hidden motives. It never really works out for me, dating. Probably because when I go out with anyone, there are always two things hiding behind the scenes that are controlling it all. First is money. Other is power.

First time I went out with a girl was back when I was fifteen and damn if it wasn't twisted. On one side you have me, still brand new and rather young president of multi-million corporation who had freshly inherited the millions and billions of Kaiba Gozaburo which had made me the richest fifteen-year-old in history of our fair planet as well as one of the five richest persons of the world. On other side you have daughter of one of my worst rivals, heir of her father's business and money, some years older than me and ruthless-bitch-of-a-business-woman-in-training. Behind me you have Yugi, my fresh eleven-year-old bodyguard who was still a bit wounded after the deserted island incident. Behind her you have her bodyguards - two of them - who are sneering arrogantly at Yugi.

She had asked me out on a date as if innocently. I had agreed on it as if innocently. We spend the entire night exchanging the most awkward small talk I've ever had the displeasure of hearing while her bodyguards were trying to make fun of Yugi behind my back. She was rubbing my ankle with hers underneath the table and her expressions were so fake that is was pathetic. I was annoyed and little bit nervous - it was my first date after all - but mostly I was angry at her for letting her bodyguards to disrespect mine… The date ended when she had the guts to ask me if I couldn't afford proper bodyguards. Month or so later I crushed her father's corporation and left her penniless.

My second date was with a girl a bit younger than me from the public school I started to go through after Yugi had kicked my former-butler out. She was cute, nice, kind, blushing and all things girls are supposed to be on a date, I suppose. She was hanging on my arm by the end of the first hour, asking me if Yugi really had to be there after second. By the end of our date she was talking about her indebted mother who… I can't really remember what her mother had done to get into debt. Probably because I walked out at the first mention of the word _indebted_. I think it was mostly thanks to Yugi that she didn't have the gall to call me again after that.

My third date was originally a business meeting. She was a young woman whom I was planning to hire as one of my scientists for those top secret projects I do for various governments and such. I needed to meet her personally to see if she was worth it though, so we had a meeting in a restaurant. She was genius, witty, she had a personality… I liked her, I admit that. She wasn't even bothered by Yugi - quite the opposite, she talked a bit with my bodyguard and seemed to even like him… She was too perfect.

The whole thing lasted for three days. It was with her when I got my first taste of sex - and thanks to the fact that she was more experienced than I was she taught me lot in those three days. Yet it kind of broke apart. She was perfect for the job, I liked to have her in my bed, but she couldn't either do both, or just one without it getting very awkward... so it just ended. With no feelings attached or broken we bid each other goodbye. She works for the government now and I haven't really talked to her since.

All in all, I have had experiences from horrendous ones to rather pleasant ones. I have had sex with handful of women, few of the experiences were indescribable and others just pathetic. None of them ever lasted more than week, giving me the status of "Unreachable but still the most wanted bachelor of Domino".

Yugi never comments on any of these dates, relationships or whatever they are. He is there in every date, I know he has been close enough to hear every time when I've had sex and he has never said a word of it to one direction or another. He himself has never dated. If Yugi is asked out he smiles and declines politely, saying he is not interested. I've asked him why not. He just smiles and says nothing.

x

Yugi _being_ injured and Yugi _showing_ injury are two different things. It's probably because of that control technique of his, the way he can manage all his body functions right down to heart beat and blood flow. He can control his sensations, his reactions, everything… In any case, he very rarely _shows_ that he is injured and in pain, and even when he does it only last for second or two. That's why every time he does show that he is in pain, it's always very serious.

That's why it is very serious now. Glancing behind my shoulder, I have kept eye on him thorough the whole journey. Frowns, slightest sheen of sweat, grimaces of pain, smallest gasps… hand that comes to rest on his chest or on his stomach or his sides. Through the black abaya and robes I can't see if he is bleeding, but I think he is. Bakura, who is again chained to his hand and sitting behind him, is frowning at Yugi worriedly, but he doesn't say anything, knowing that Yugi wouldn't understand anyway.

"He's in pain," Bakura says with low voice.

"I can tell," I answer with a frown.

Yugi looks at me with burning eyes and I can't say anything. I just glance at him and then turn to look forward again, letting him handle his pain alone and pray that he can, praying that he won't get worse. Yet I know that the bumpy pace of the camels will only make it worse and sloppily warped bandages and no amount of self control cannot possibly save Yugi from it. He needs proper medical care, or at least proper rest.

I thank all gods of all cultures I can remember when we finally come to Akhetaten. I hardly pay attention to the high walls surrounding the sandy city or how Marik exchanges words with the guards at the gates. I don't notice how the shadows of the late evening make the city turn mysterious and malicious in a way, and I don't pay attention to the way the streets are lit with flickering torches. I don't hear the breath of wind or how the torch lights crackle. I only see Yugi and his barely masked pain, only hear his laboured breathing. I don't remember when I last heard him breathe that loudly.

"Oh no, you'll stay in the palace," Marik answers after I've asked him if he knows a good inn. "I will authorise you a stay in the guest quarters. That's the least I can… I could ask the healer of the palace to pay you a visit. Even if Mutô is a healer himself, it never hurts to have someone else to take look at him."

"No, there is no need," I shake my head. I know what this healing of theirs is. Herbs, salves, incense … as good as they are, I believe in drugs and science.

"The palace healer is not healer of the usual sort," Marik shakes his head to me. "She is from India, and she uses strange magical powers to heal - calls it Aura and Chakra healing. She is also the personal healer of the pharaoh himself."

I narrow my eyes. Magic in this world is real, that was proven yesterday. If I can cause devastation with my powers, it stands to logic that someone can similarly heal and repair, right? I swallow and turn to look at Yugi while we approach the stony, temple like large building I believe to be the palace. "Would you be willing to see the palace's healer?"

Yugi looks up with red-tinted eyes. "Tomorrow," he rasps out, huffing out a pained breath which is almost like cough but not quite. He swallows and repeats. "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," I say to Marik.

He nods. "I'll ask her to meet you in the morning. After meeting with the healer I'll introduce you to the person I mentioned before, the one who needs help… and the high priest," he frowns a little. "With Mutô injured like this, I guess we need to postpone the fight, don't we?"

"We'll see about that too tomorrow," I answer.

We ride our camels to the stables near the palace, after which Marik speaks briefly with a servant of the palace. Bakura helps swaying Yugi from the camel's back, before quickly taking the shoulder bags from Yugi to carry them himself. I nod to the white haired thief in thanks before coming to steady Yugi on the other side. He frowns a bit but doesn't argue against the help.

"This way," Marik motions to us and we follow him. I think we use a servants' entrance or something, but I don't pay much attention to it as we walk. Yugi closes his eyes and lets us guide him through the thin corridors into larger ones and up few cases of stairs until we come to beautifully decorated temple-like area and to a door of the guest quarters.

Four rooms. Two bedrooms, living room like area and a large bathroom. After Bakura and I have guided Yugi to sit at the divan in the living room, I glance at Marik. "I need fresh bandages for him."

"I'll have servant bring some and some food for you as well," he nods. "And I'll see you in the morning."

I nod. After he has left I look at Bakura. "I need to chain you into the other bedroom," I say to him. "Then I will help Yugi wash, and bandage his wounds again."

"You don't need to chain me, I won't leave," Bakura says, shaking his head. "I won't."

I look at him for a moment, searching his eyes until I see it. It's only a glimmer still, but it's there. Loyalty to Yugi, respect and awe. "I believe you," I nod. Like I predicted, Yugi has tamed the white haired thief. I wonder what was the trigger this time. Probably same thing as with Malik. Yugi was gentle to Bakura and I think that hasn't happened often. And of course it's hard not to respect someone after seeing them risk their life for someone - Bakura was right behind me when Yugi was shot, after all.

I unlock the chain connecting Yugi and Bakura before helping my bodyguard up. "When the servant comes bring the bandages to the bathroom, please. And after we have bathed, you should to the same," I say to him before helping Yugi to the bathroom. There I help Yugi out of his blood soiled clothing, ignoring the slight frown he is giving me.

"Master Seto," he rasps out quietly while I undress his abaya.

"No, don't," I glare at him. "After all you've done to me and for me this is literally the least I can do."

"I can -"

"Shut up, Yugi. Let me do this," I hiss at him and try not to wince at the sight of his bloody bandages. Swallowing the ghostly sensation of pain my over active imagination supplies me with, I start to unwrap his bandages to reveal the still fresh wounds underneath. "Just… for once let me do this for you." If my voice hitches there - from distress or desperation - then so be it.

He breaths heavily and smiles before resigning himself to my care. I undress the scarf covering his hair, and for a moment revel in the sight of his hair - last time I saw the spiky mixture of gold and shades of purple tinted black was in Djanet, I think…

I glance around in the bathroom. The tub is more like a small pool, there is no way I can wash Yugi in it without getting wet myself. With a sigh I undress my head scarf before slipping the silver wristbands from his hands and unclasping the collar from Yugi's neck. He frowns a bit at the latter action but says nothing as I turn the water on.

I hear a knock from the door. "The bandages," Bakura speaks through the door carefully. I stand and walk to the door to take the bandages. The thief blinks a bit at the sight of me without the scarf, but just nods before retreating.

"I'm sorry, master Seto," Yugi murmurs while I undress myself. "I'm sorry to be such a nuisance… I'm sorry… for being so weak."

"Shut up Yugi, you're not weak," I murmur while helping him into the pool-like tub. Then I quickly join him so that I'm there to support him in the case he will lose his strength and fall. "You have never been nor will you ever be weak. You're just injured."

He sighs, closes his eyes for a moment, but doesn't show if the water hurts him or not. Then, as I take the washcloth and soap that are set beside the tub, he smiles weakly. "Weren't I supposed to give you bath and not the other way around, master Seto?"

"Don't try to make light of this, there is nothing to laugh about in this," I murmur as I start to as gently as I can to wash him. He's surprisingly dirty - mix of blood and sand covers nearly his entire upper body. I frown at the two new wounds in his body, two new scars to become - five actually, as they have matching pairs on his back along with the one in his back which did not make it through his body. "I'm not sure how long I can take this, Yugi. How many times do I have to see you like this?"

"I'm sorry -"

"Don't apologise, damn it, you have nothing to apologise for," I whisper as I gently run the cloth over his chest, rubbing the dirt away and revealing the nearly alabaster white skin underneath. I pause as the cloth nears the still fresh wound. "No more, Yugi. I will not see this happen again, I will not watch you get injured anymore. I won't. I can't."

"It's my job and duty, master Seto," he answers calmly, watching my face with slight confusion in his eyes.

"Then I'll fire you," I mutter angrily.

"You can't, because officially I don't even work for you," Yugi smiles a bit. "And even if you could you wouldn't be able to stop me from protecting you, master Seto."

"Damn it, Yugi," I hiss while glaring at him. "Why? Why do you put yourself through this? And for what - for me? Why?"

He is quiet for a while, looking at me with his eyes which first are neutrally violet. Then they start to melt into stormy shade of bluish violet and he smiles gently. "I thought that it would be pretty obvious by now," he murmurs with a sad chuckle. "But as it doesn't seem to be, let me tell you something. Let me tell you why I originally started serving you."

I frown a little while continuing to rub the dirt away from him. He closes his eyes and smiles even while frowning a little, as if remembering. "I lied to you when I said that I had been in the streets only for some days when we met. In reality I had already been there for weeks, living in that small alcove and begging people for money and going through garbage of others for food. The bruises on me weren't from the orphanage but from the other people living on the streets… they used to steal what little I had managed to beg, some of them beat me up just for the heck of it."

"Yugi -" I start to say, but I'm interrupted.

"No, let me speak," he smiles. "Living in the street isn't easy. Ryô knows that better than I do, he lived on the streets for years. That's when I actually met him; he used to sleep with me in that alcove on the coldest nights so that we could keep each other warm. He was in a way stronger than me, maybe because he had been there longer and had gotten adjusted to it… I didn't. I couldn't. I had always had enough to eat and warm place to sleep, even though my grandfather was sick and weak he used to buy me toys and games and I was happy. That was the life I was adjusted to, even in the orphanage I had enough food and good mattress… the streets were too much for me."

"Grandpa had told me stories of heaven and Afterlife to cheer me up in the times he was sickest, to make sure that even when he would die it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. He told me that when you died you would go to a paradise where you would have everything you need and you would need nothing," he chuckles. "Compared to the streets heaven sounded… much better."

"So I decided to end it. I decided that after meeting with Ryô final time and bidding him good luck I would drown myself in the river near by," his chuckle turns somewhat desperate and I watch in fascination as tears trail down his face. "And then you stumbled on my foot, looking more afraid than I had ever felt, scared for your very life… I decided that one good deed before my death wouldn't hurt me so I pushed you into the alcove and hid you. After you would've left I would've continued on as I had planned…"

"But then you took me to hospital, you took care of me, you gave me the warm bed and food I had been missing for what seemed like eternity," he swallows, his voice cracking. "And I suddenly didn't need to kill myself anymore to get to a better place. I decided that the gods had sent you to me as a sign and duty, so I chose to give the life I had planned to end to you. I would spend my life serving you because you saved me from my own darkness and depression."

He opens his eyes, chuckles out a strange sob-like sound and wipes the tears away even while I stare at him with horror and realisation. "You're my saviour, master Seto. And I will serve you until the day I die. That's _why_."

"Yugi…" I whisper in strange state of shock. It explained so _much_, nearly everything. And Ryô, I had always wondered where he had came from, it always had been a mystery to me… he had seemed to come from nowhere. "So Ryô… after his sister died, he ended up in the streets where you met him," I mutter.

"After I had found such a life for myself, I wanted to give it to Ryô too," he chuckles, turning his eyes away. "What I learned in school and in many different dojos, I taught to him so that eventually he could be to Mokuba what I am to you. I told him tales of Mokuba, of the stories Mokuba liked, what Mokuba liked to eat, how he spend his days… Ryô took it in like starved plant takes water and he learned everything, striving for the day he could be with the charge I had chosen him for. He missed his little sister so much that he revived her in Mokuba, deciding to give your little brother what he couldn't give to his little sister…"

I swallow. "B-but… whatever debt you had to me in the beginning, you've repaid thousand times," I look at him with half seriousness and half desperation. "Why are you still doing this for me, to yourself? I really don't deserve it, Yugi, you must know that."

"You're not perfect, I know that. No one is in this or any other world," he smiles gently. "And the second time I saved your life I did consider my original dept paid… but at that point it wasn't enough for me. Debts meant nothing at that point, because I _wanted_ to protect you, _wanted_ you to be safe, _wanted_ to be the one to ensure that you were never harmed… because at that point…" he closes his eyes, and chuckles painfully. "I already loved you."

"Yugi…" I whisper, staring at him with disbelief, shock… and strange awe.

"I love you," he whispers with such devotion I'm half expecting to see a halo around his head. His eyes glaze in memory as he continues to speak. "I remember how when I started to serve you, you would argue with me for hours about smallest things, trying to make me see the truth when the only truth I would admit was that I was to serve you," he chuckles and then smiles gently. "I remember the nightmares and how I hold you just like I used to hold Ryô when he had bad dreams, I remember… everything. I liked your smile, but saw it so rarely that I made my every day goal to see you smile at least once. I learned your favourite foods, what you liked to do, I…"

"I fell in love with the side of you which you hid behind your shell. I vowed to protect your smile and the spark of gentleness I saw in your eyes when you looked at Mokuba, the side of you which enjoys games and laughs gently, quietly when no one is around. I vowed to protect the dragon's heart, even if it was already hidden behind armour of icy scales."

"Then slowly I began to adore that warmth in your coldness. I never wanted to change you, nor your armour of ice or your hidden warmth, and as you were I wanted to protect you. I wanted nothing to touch your exterior or interior, and so I protected it all… slowly falling in love it all."

"And so I fell, until it no longer mattered. I don't care what happens to me as long as you remain unscathed," he looks up to me with storm of emotion in his blue-tinted amethysts. And strangely, even if I see thunderstorm in his eyes, they have never been as warm as they are now. "I may lose limp or lung or even my life while protecting you and I don't care. Because I love you more than I ever have or ever will love anyone else."

I stare at him, now utterly wordless. What can you say to something like that?

x

Have you ever had an item you thought was ordinary and nearly rubbish? You've had it forever, so long that you don't really remember when you didn't have it. It's just an every day thing, part of your life like the bed in which you sleep the lamp on your table, the alarm clock, the chair… Something you may need, but which is in the end expendable.

Then you find out that inside it is made of silver and glass. That it is more valuable than you've ever known, priceless even. You remember all the times you treated it poorly, thinking it to be nearly worthless. All those times you almost broke it - times when it should've broken. All those times you passed it by without a second thought, times you hardly paid attention to it. You remember when you thought of so little of it, when you even belittled it…

And then you understand what it really is, realise it's true worth. You suddenly think it's larger than life, most important thing in your life, something you cannot live without. You feel guilty for what you have done, for how you have been acting, and you try to make up for it. You centre it, keep it close, cherish it, and smother with affection… in your guilt.

Yugi had been there for me for years, by my side, never changing and always strong like pillar of stone. Suddenly he loves me, suddenly he has loved me for longer than he actually remembers and suddenly he is more precious and fragile than he has ever been… but I fear. I fear that I'm being hypocrite. I fear that I'm being untruthful without even knowing it.

Would I feel this way if he had never said those three precious words? Is it only guilt for never noticing that makes me feel this way?

x

Unlike usually Yugi is sleeping when the morning comes and I wake up. He lays still on his back on the other side of the bed, only the slightest raise of his chest giving away that he is still alive. As I sit up and look at him more closely, I wonder if he's asleep because he is exhausted, or because he knows he needs to sleep, knows that sleep will heal him. Probably latter, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he can consciously control the exact amount of time he spends slumbering.

Looking at him, laying there only dressed to black pair of boxers and slightly bloodstained bandages, I wonder. Was he always this pale, this small, and this innocent? And have I ever seen him really sleep like this? Compared to the state of complete alert he usually is, the way his eyes are closed and his face is completely void of positive or negative expressions is… strange. He's so still, so quiet… stationary. He looks like sculpture, piece of art.

Small one. Compared to me he is, I'm over thirty centimetres taller than he is - which would be one fifth of his entire height. Meaning that I look down to him and he looks up to me quite literally. The height difference is always there, but strangely enough I hardly ever notice it. Yugi doesn't seem as short as he is. He's the strongest person I know, so he always raises upon everyone else despite his height.

Still… he is only sixteen. Sixteen year old boy, teen… young man. What is Yugi really? He wasn't a child even when he was eight, and he had never been teen or adolescent in the way normal people are. In a certain way he has never went though puberty because in a certain way he was a man even before I knew him.

"Were you ever a child, Yugi?" I whisper to him, wanting to reach my hand and touch his golden bangs, but I don't dare. I don't want to wake him. Instead I roll out of the bed and quickly pull my abaya on, soon slipping my feet into sandals and walking out of the bedroom. Best to let him sleep. He needs his rest.

"Morning, Kaiba," Bakura greets me from the window where he is gazing down to the city below. He glances at me and smirks. "It's kinda strange seeing you without scarf."

"Hmhm," I frown a bit and run my hand through my hair. It had only been two weeks so there shouldn't be any change in my hair, but it still feels longer than I remember. "It's kind of strange for me too," I mutter and look at him more closely. I guess he took my suggestion about bathing last night. His hair is stark white now and instead of the ragged black loincloth of before he has dressed into short white abaya which reaches only his knees. "Where did you get that?"

"It was in the room I slept in. After bathing I thought clean garb was in order," he answers before frowning a bit. "O-or do you want me to change back or something?"

At first I wonder what he's on about, but then I remember. Bakura _is_ officially my slave. He hasn't acted like it before, but apparently he is making effort now. "No, no," I smile to him. "I'm just wondering where you got it, nothing more. If it was there, then it is probably meant to be used."

He nods uncertainly, before glancing at the direction of the bedrooms. "How is Yugi?"

"Sleeping," I answer softly. "I figured it was best to let him until the healer comes. He really needs his rest."

"Yeah, no kidding," he murmurs and walks to sit on the divan near me. "Is he always like that? I mean, does he always just throw himself before anything that might kill you? Just like that and without second thoughts."

"Yeah," I shake my head. "He has saved my life more times I can care to count and for that I will always be thankful, but… it doesn't really get any easier seeing him like this." Not even now when I know the reason for his self sacrificial. "I know he is strong and I know he can handle it - he has been wounded lethally so many times that in a way I suppose I think he will survive through anything - but even so… it never gets any easier."

Bakura nods thoughtfully before looking at me with strange look about his eyes. "How did you come across him? I mean, how did he end up being your slave?"

"Originally it was because I accidentally broke his foot while escaping," I chuckle. "After which he saved my life from people pursuing me. Because of the injury I caused and because he saved my life, I was obligated to see to his injury and take care of him when he healed… since then he hasn't really left my side. Recently I've learned that his slavery to me has a… deeper reason, but…" I shake my head sadly.

"You broke his foot?" Bakura asks slowly with disbelief.

"Accidentally, I didn't see him and stumbled over him in my haste," I shrug.

"I thought it was something bit more… interesting. That's kinda anticlimactic," the thief sounds disappointed.

"Not for me. He saved my life and that day everything changed for me," I shake my head. "It was one of the major turning points in my life." Yesterday was another.

There is a short silence as I think about it. After his confession Yugi was so drained that he nearly fell asleep in the tub. I just finished washing him, bandaged him and took him bed, forcing him to stay awake long enough to eat a little and then allowing him to sleep. Then I slept myself, for the first time in two weeks resting my head on pillow instead of his chest.

My heart beats a little harder and faster when I slowly think to myself, Yugi loves me. The thought still doesn't really sink in properly, because partially I think I knew. I knew his feelings for me were strong and warm, they had to be because what else could urge him to do all those things for me. Yet love, as in romantic love…? That never really crossed my mind. Yugi seems so… asexual at times. And even though he is always kind and gentle to me, he never really has shown he loves me. Not in way that would differ from anything else he does.

But when you have a person willing to risk your life for you at every turn, who does everything for you, lives for you… yeah. When I'm already so _adjusted_ to the fact that he is blindly devoted to me, blindly loyal to me, I could've easily overlooked all the signs of something more. And the more I think of it the more I'm sure that there never _were any signs_. Yugi is so devotedthat he just over looked that part until nothing I can do could shake him off, make him mad at me, or make him stop loving me.

I frown and swallow sudden bitterness that rises up my throat. I've been with many different women and girls right underneath his nose, as if flaunting it to him. Gods… who knows how much that must've hurt him. And still he never showed signs of being jealous or feeling betrayed, no, he never acted any different. Was it because he was and is a good actor…

…or because he has accepted that he can never be with me? Yugi isn't good liar, even though he hides things very well he cannot lie. He couldn't hide something like this without there being something there which justifies his actions to him, so acceptance of defeat before the fight even begins could be it. Yugi never thought he had the chance so he never said anything, willing to bare those feelings in secret…

I nearly jump out of my skin when a knock to the door interrupts my musings. "Master Kaiba, it's me, general Marik. I brought the healer with me," gruff voice speaks through the door.

"Could you open the door?" I ask from Bakura while standing up and walking to the bedroom door to check on Yugi. While the white haired thief - or former thief - opens the door, I glance into the room to see that Yugi is still laying completely still on the bed. I'm about to go in and check if he is really sleeping or just laying, when I hear a loud gasp from behind me - two gasps.

Confused I turn around to see Marik and young woman of Indian descend standing there, both staring at me in shock. I frown a little at the woman, because even though Marik looks amusing when he is thoroughly shocked, the woman shocks me a bit more. It's Tea, and clearly not her because the martial-artist I know is very American and this woman with her dark skin, strange clothing and markings on her brow is clearly Indian. Tea's counterpart in this world

…and they are still staring me. "What?" I ask in confusion and almost reach my hand up to touch my hair self-consciously. "Is there something wrong?"

"No… yes… _damn_," Marik closes his mouth, shakes his head and looks me up and down. "You just… without the scarf on you look almost exactly like Seth. Paler skin, though. It's strange I didn't notice the similarities before."

I frown a little. Seth? The high priest Yugi was supposed to fight? Could he be my counterpart? This isn't good. Not only because being carbon copy of someone in such his stature might put me into danger, but there is no way Yugi can fight someone who looks like me.

"Excuse me for a moment," I murmur to the general and to the shocked healer and quickly go to the bedroom. Searching for the scarves, I quickly pull mine on, before stopping to look at Yugi. Deciding not to take any chances, I take his black scarf and cover his hair with it.

"Mm, master Seto?" he murmurs with a sleepy voice as I raise his head to tug the scarf underneath it to cover all of his hair.

"Morning Yugi," I bid to him gently. "The healer is here to see you." I quickly push him down as he tries to get up. "No need to get up; let's let her have a look first, okay?"

"Fine," he murmurs and raises his hand to rest on his chest. He frowns little while closing his eyes. "I guess you won't sleep with your head on my chest anymore," his voice sounds sad and disappointed now. "But that's my own fault for being weak and telling you what I should've."

"No, don't think that," I whisper to him while gently taking my hand to his cheek. "I didn't sleep against you because you're injured, I didn't want your injures to get worse."

He smiles sleepily and murmurs just before slipping back to sleep. "Liar."

I sigh. Now he thinks that because I know I won't touch him? Stupid boy. I'll make him understand when he's strong and rational enough to take it. With a shake of my head, I stand up and return to the living room to find Marik and Tea's counterpart sitting on the divans while Bakura stands by the door.

"Uh…" Marik takes in the scarf and coughs slightly to regain his composure. "Well, in any case, this is Teana," He motions at the Indian girl. "She's the palace healer as well as Pharaoh's personal healer. She agreed to take a look at Mutô."

"Yes, thank you," I nod to the woman and motion to the bedroom. "He's sleeping at the moment, is that a problem?"

"Not at all," the still shaken girl shakes her head while standing up. Marik stands up as well, either to see it for himself or to make sure that the healer is safe with me. I don't really care which because it really doesn't matter in the end.

I open the bedroom door to let the two in, and then follow them. The healer frowns slightly at the sight of bandaged Yugi, but doesn't say anything. As I watch with strange anxiety, she steps to stand beside the bed and holds her taken, Indian jewellery adorned hands over Yugi's wounded torso. Then she closes her eyes and is completely still.

At first I think she's doing some strange voodoo with doesn't actually have any effect, but the scepticism dies at the sight of how air quivers underneath her hands as if hot. Then her palms slowly start to glow in gentle golden light which lights the white, blood stained bandages on Yugi's chest.

"He… is breathing only with the healthy lung. No air travels in the wounded one, it doesn't work at all," Teana frowns.

"He can shut down his organs when necessary," I answer to her making her look up in shock. "He did it that the wound wouldn't get worse. He hoped that it could slow the internal bleeding."

"That... is amazing, I have never heard of anyone who is able to do something like that," she shakes her head before turning back to Yugi. "Well, the wound is healing but his right lung is filled with blood and it's damaging the lung itself. I can heal the lung but the blood needs to come out."

"Is there a way you can remove it?" I frown a little. I know that no amount of tiredness or wounds can weaken Yugi's precision or will of mind, but I still wouldn't be happy to see him handle the needles at this moment.

"I may," the healer nods. "But it might be uncomfortable for him, and he needs to be awake."

I think about it for a moment before nodding. "What about the other injuries?"

She raises her hands up again and concentrates for a moment. "He got lucky, there is no crucial damage to his organs and the internal bleeding isn't bad. These I can heal easily, but the lung is still a problem."

"How do you think we should proceed, then?" I ask. Teana is surprisingly knowledgeable in actual medicine, a pleasant surprise indeed. I guess I should've known the pharaoh's personal healer to be more informed than the rest are in this place.

"I'll heal the damage in his stomach and then strengthen his lung and heal the holes in it. After that I must force him to cough the blood out," she nods determinately. "We need a basin for him to cough the blood in."

"There should be one in the bathroom," I remember. Marik nods and leaves to room to get it while Teana sits down to the bed beside Yugi and begins her magical treatment. Marik soon returns with the basin, and together we wait as she does her thing.

"How is it that you look like the high priest?" Marik asks me quietly. "If it was just a passing similarity, a certain feature… then I wouldn't care, but you are almost like exact, if a bit paler and thinner, copy of him."

I glance at him before shaking my head and smiling sadly. "Lucky chance, or maybe unlucky one," I murmur. It isn't like I could explain to Marik that we're from another reality and Seth might be another version of me. "And how do you know that it isn't he who looks like me, and not other way around?"

He shakes his head with half amusement and half confusion while we watch Teana treat Yugi. I can see that what she's doing it taxing for her, her brow is starting to glisten with small amount of sweat and she's frowning a bit. Yet I can also see that it has effect on Yugi. His skin is regaining colour.

"The person you mentioned, the one who can't walk without feeling pain… why hasn't Teana healed him if she's this skilled?" I ask with confusion.

"She has tried and tried thousands of times, but…" the general shakes his head. "She says that there is no actual wound in him, no damage she could repair. His legs are by all accounts healthy and she finds no reason for the pain when she tries to heal him."

"Hmm…" I nod thoughtfully. She deals with muscles and innards; she heals damage, wounds and maybe illnesses. Yugi deals with the nervous system and pain. She might not even know things like nerves exist while they are Yugi's exact field. She's good, but she isn't good enough apparently, not precise enough.

Yugi sighs sharply on the bed, opening his eyes with a snap. If he is shocked about finding Tea's counterpart healing him, he doesn't show at as he looks at what she's doing. "Amazing," he mutters in Japanese. "I can feel her fixing me from the inside. How is she doing that?"

"Do you know how Teana does that? Yugi wishes to know," I say to Marik but it's Teana who answers.

"In our bodies we have many types of energies. Magical and such. What I use is my aura, the energy that surrounds me like field of magical warmth. It's healing in quality so when I expand it and send it into someone else, it on its own starts to heal them," she smiles. "I only have to point it where to go and what to do."

I translate it to Yugi, who frowns looking thoughtfully. "That would certainly be useful talent," he murmurs.

"I'm not sure if you can use it in our world," I frown a little. "I certainly didn't use magic there."

"Hmm…" he nods before closing his eyes as Teana moves her healing hands over Yugi's chest. "I think I need to cough the blood out," he murmurs mostly to himself. "But that means I need to restart the lung again… but that takes time."

"She says she can do it for you, force you to cough even though you don't use the lung," I say to him. "And she says that it might be uncomfortable for you."

"If she can do it then let her, I'll restart the lung later," he nods and smiles a bit. "I was starting to think I would lose it, but apparently not. Good thing too, it would hinder me in the fight against that high priest."

"Oh, yeah… about that…" I grimace a bit while Teana continues on what she's doing and Marik looks at me in confusion. "There is a chance that the high priest is my counterpart."

Yugi's eyes snaps open and he stares at me in shock. "Your counterpart as in carbon copy of you, master Kaiba?" He frowns at me when I nod. "That is going to be a problem," he murmurs and looks away with troubled expression. I nod again with similarly worried feelings while Teana pulls her hands from Yugi's chest.

"Can you help him sit up, and then hand me the basin?" she asks. Marik and I do as she asks. I support Yugi from the back while Marik holds the basin up. I warn Yugi of what Teana is about to do, and then she stars. Pressing her palm to right side of Yugi's chest, she pushes slightly, forcing a pained cough out of Yugi - and then another and another until Yugi starts coughing the blood from his lung to the basin. I turn my eyes away as shudder runs through him and he coughs again. It certainly isn't a pretty sight.

Eventually he has coughed it all out. Teana checks him again with her powers while Marik takes the basin away from the room. As Yugi leans against me, breathing harshly and trying to steady himself, I warp my arm around him in what I hope to be comforting manner. It strange to see him like this, leaning onto me when it's usually I who leans onto him.

"He should be fine now. There's still some healing to be done but his lung is fine now and I've healed all the damage to his insides and muscles," Teana speaks while standing up. "If he takes the next few days easy he should be as good as new in no time."

"Thank you," I nod to her and turn to look down at Yugi, who is still leaning onto me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, definitely better," he smiles and glances at me. "No need to worry, master Kaiba. I'll be fine. Can you thank her for me?"

I nod and thank Teana for Yugi. She nods at Yugi with a smile before leaving the room. Marik looks at us thoughtfully. "How about I'll have someone bring you and your two slaves something to eat, and after you have eaten we will go see the high priest and the person I spoke about?"

"That sounds good," I smile. He nods and leaves the room as well, leaving me and Yugi alone.

For a moment we are quiet as Yugi leans onto me, wiping his lips to get the last remains of blood away. Then he sighs heavily. "Master Seto, I apologise for what I said yesterday… I shouldn't have and -"

"Don't apologise," I murmur as I lean my head against the black scarf which covers his hair. "I can hardly blame you for your feelings. I just wish that…" I sigh quietly and wrap my arms around him entirely, holding him close. "I wish that I knew how to answer to such confession, I wish that I would've known earlier so that I wouldn't have hurt you unwittingly… Yugi, I don't…"

"I know you don't love me, master Seto," he whispers quietly, strange melancholy in his tone. "That's why I never said anything; I didn't want to burden you -"

"No, that is not what I meant," I bury my face to the joint where his neck and his shoulders connect. "Yugi, I believe in you, I trust you, I respect you… and after what you said you've became so precious that my heart aches with it, but I don't _know_ what it is that I am feeling for you right now. I cannot continue from here lightly, I need to think, I need to be absolutely sure… I don't want to hurt you." I take a deep breath. "Just give me little time."

"Yes, anything you want," his voice quivers a bit. He takes a deep breath and releases it as if releasing tension from his person as well. I hold him close for few more moments, but eventually I have to release him so that he can pull some clothing on.

"Hmm… I definitely feel better," Yugi murmurs while we enter the living room. Bakura looks almost happy to see Yugi up and about, but he is also looking somewhat confused.

"Is there something wrong?" I ask him as his eyes flicker over me.

"It's just something the general said to the healer," the thief mutters, hesitates while glancing around and then looks at me and Yugi carefully. "Is it true that you're a god?"

"A _what_?"

"A god," the thief shrugs uncomfortably. "Marik said to that healer that you may be god confined in human form or something like that… are you?"

I stare at him for a while. "And how on earth did he get into such ridiculous consumption that I may be a god?" I ask with disbelief.

"How should I know?" Bakura shrugs again. Then he looks at me. "So, you're not?"

"No!"

"Okay… just checking."

I shake my head in disbelief. A god, seriously. Where on earth did Marik get that idea? Is he thinking that I may be some sort of god just because I look like his high priest, or does he have some other reason for thinking that? I guess Yugi and I are a bit mysterious, as we can't really tell these people where we are from or who we really are, but a _god_… damn that's farfetched.

"What's going on, master Kaiba?" Yugi asks curiously.

"Marik apparently thinks I'm a god," I frown with annoyance. Yugi looks at me for a moment in shock, before starting to chuckle. Before long his chuckling becomes full-blown laughter. I stare at him with my eyebrow ticking in annoyance, but even if he is annoying me a bit, it's very good to hear his laughter.

"If you're a god, master Kaiba, then what am I?" he asks from between chuckles. "An angel?"

"You could very well be," I murmur with my annoyance melting into a smile and look up as Marik re-enters the room along with a servant who has a large tray full of food for us. For a moment I'm tempted to ask about this god business from him, but decide against it because he looks a bit agitated.

"I must ask you to eat quickly," he says to me. "The high priest will see you in ten minutes."

"Okay," I nod and we eat quickly before getting up and following the now a bit tense looking general out of the room. As we walk, I'm happy to see that with each step Yugi seems to gain more and more of his old strength until no one can tell that he's heavily injured. If I didn't know better, I would say that he is as healthy as ever.

Soon we come to a large hall before even larger hall which looks very much like throne-room. Actually, I think it is the throne room. It's high, sandy brown with honey-coloured marble floor and lots of hieroglyphic writing all over. The high ceiling is held by very thoroughly carved pillars and at the end of the room there is a stone throne which is softened by few very soft looking cushions. The hall is empty, deserted.

"They should be here soon," Marik says to me. "The high priest and the one I spoke of, the one who cannot walk."

I nod thoughtfully and look around in the grand room. To think we are meeting Yugi's possible patient in a throne room. Either this high priest is very well liked in the royal palace, or something because unless he isn't he might get into trouble for using place like this as a meeting place. Unless…

A clonk-like sound echoes in the large hall as a door is opened somewhere behind the pillars. I nearly choke into my breath when I see them, and I hear Yugi inhale sharply. The shock of seeing Marik and Teana and even Bakura doesn't compare even _nearly_ to this.

Not to the tall tanned man in priestly robes, with a strange snake-crown on his brow and with brown hair exactly similar to my own. He is almost like my exact mirror reflection, with the exception of the accessories and the tone of his skin. But that doesn't shock me as much as what he is _carrying _in his arms, looking so comfortable with it as if he had been doing it forever… and with a shock I realise he has as I remember what Marik told me.

"…_I suppose he ended up being more of a warrior than priest because of the pharaoh. Our king is the wisest man known to our land, strongest magician as well but physically he isn't as strong as most. Seth, being the pharaoh's cousin, has been working as the king's protector ever since they were small boys_…"

"…_who got into an accident when he was very little, and after that he has been… sick and incapacitated. He can still feel his legs, but every time he tries to use them he feels pain so strong that he will fall. He hasn't been able to walk single step without pain since_…"

Not only is high priest Seth - my counterpart - carrying tanned young man who clearly is the pharaoh and clearly cannot walk. Not only is that pharaoh the patient Marik mentioned to Yugi, the one who cannot walk due to chronic pain… but he is also Yugi's counterpart.

He has the same two-colour hair, same expressive eyes and he's even similarly short. Again the only difference is the clothing and the tone of skin, though I have never seen Yugi look so cold, so bitter and _suffered_ as the pharaoh seems. Where Yugi's eyes are mostly neutrally amethyst, this young man's eyes are almost crimson with acrimony. Yet there is also strength in his eyes, strength born from endless years of struggling against helplessness and pain.

Marik glances at me while the priest gently lowers the incapacitated pharaoh to the throne. The general speaks. "Allow me to present to you; high priest Seth and the ruler of all Kemet; pharaoh Atem."

xx

Uhuhu, I am evil, I did a cliffhanger conciously. One more chapter to go, two if I get too excited. And strangely enough I have nothing more the say. Thank you all for reviews! (and **lauraconsa**, if you want to go ahead, but I wanna see...)


	8. Eighth part

**Eighth part**

Pharaoh Atemu, I later decided, was like a freak accident himself. He like a train crash; you know you shouldn't look, there's people dying and hurting there, but still you can't take your eyes off it. He was like a horrible wound just healing, wound that needed to be bandaged and you shouldn't poke it, but you can't help yourself because it's just fascinating despite the pain. Like one of those news reports where you see how someone is killed - it's a horrible thing, but you still stare in morbid fascination.

He was a strangely interesting mixture of pain, bitterness and strength - not to mention that physically he is closer to beautiful than ugly. You look at him and you know he has been suffering for a long time, that he cannot use his legs, that unlike you he hasn't walked in a very long time. You know it's impolite to stare… but you cannot _not_ stare at him. And it's not just that "oh my good look at his legs" thing, no. You stare at his eyes, because they are endless and filled with emotions you probably have never felt.

He was one of those people made for the phrase "one of a kind" even though I know there must been many other people suffering in similar situation as he was. But no matter how many cripples there are out there, I doubt any of them are as strong and as powerful as Atem. If I didn't know Yugi I would say he was the strongest person I have ever met… which was more the reason not to stare, he was one being you don't want mess with. Yet… you cannot help but stare and wonder.

How would it feel to live his life? It doesn't really need an answer as everyone could see the bitterness in his eyes.

x

"What do you think of him?" I ask from Yugi once we have returned to the guest rooms after very short initial meeting. I glance at my bodyguard who is rummaging through our things in search for his acupuncture needles. "And I just don't mean about him being your counterpart. What do you think of _him_ as a person?"

"He is strong," Yugi confirms my earlier thoughts. "And in constant suffering. He is bitter because of everything, all triggered by the simple fact that he cannot walk - he considers it a weakness and therefore he is bitter. He's bitter because he is weak. He's bitter because he has to rely on the high priest to work as his feet. He's is bitter… and he has lost hope that he can ever walk."

Finding the case, Yugi examines the needles through the see-through lid with a small frown before shaking the case a little. "He has gone through countless of treatments. Dozens of healers from many different cultures have tried to cure him over the years. Healer Teana possibly tries daily. Each time little bit of his hope has died because no matter what the healers have promised him, they haven't been able to make him walk painlessly."

"But he is strong," my bodyguard continues. "Very strong. As his hope died it was replaced with a determination strong as steel and hot as fire. He is determined to be a good ruler and good king even though he is physically weak. He is determined to make best of what's left of him. This makes him stronger than maybe anyone else I have ever met. He is weak, yet he is strong and he wills himself stronger to overcome his weakness."

"And he feels guilty," opening the lid Yugi nudges the needles a bit. Now I realise he's counting them. "Guilty because of the high priest. Because the high priest cannot have a life of his own due to his weakness - because the high priest is supposedly forced to forever serve him."

I nod thoughtfully. Yugi's skills with people really are unrivalled - both his power to change and to assess them. We were in that hall less than five minutes, hardly exchanging a word before the bitter, cold and very powerful pharaoh ordered Yugi to prove him that he is a healer. The high priest wasn't that impressed by Yugi either, which leads us here. "What about the high priest?"

"He loves his cousin very much," Yugi answers with a strange tone. "But doesn't dare to show it. He has been there for the pharaoh for years and years and has long since stopped wanting anything else for himself - after all, even though he is the pharaoh's first servant, he is in high stance of power. He is content with his life, even though it pains him to see his cousin in such manner. He is there for him for everything, but doesn't dare to show his respect…"

"Possibly because the pharaoh would take such expressions of affection as pity, which is the last thing the ruler wants in the state he is," Yugi frowns a little at the needles before starting to rummage through our things once more. "The high priest is a smart man and doesn't want to hurt his cousin therefore he has learned to never express any emotions at all. Because of this he his unrivalled warrior and possibly a great magician as well - his control over himself is maybe even greater than my own."

I nod and eye him curiously. "He knows that technique of yours as well?"

"Yes, though he uses it strangely," Yugi nods and pulls out another case - I didn't know he had two of them. "He keeps his skin warm without raising perspiration and I could hear his steps, yet I couldn't even see his chest rise as he breathed not to even mention about hearing it. His balance is strange as well, but that might come from carrying the pharaoh around so much in his life."

Neither the pharaoh or the high priest - or even Marik - did mention about the possibility of fight between Yugi and the priest, but… "If you would fight against the high priest, would you win?"

"I really don't know," Yugi stacks the two cases together before pulling the bottle of alcohol and the pieces of linen he used when he used acupuncture on me in the desert. "The high priest is so much like me that I can see my reflection in his shadow. He lives by principles similar to my own, and his way of life is similar to mine. Most of all he has same will and determination as I do. Should we fight the winner would possibly be decided by fate rather than by skill."

"That good, huh?" I murmur more to myself than to him.

He nods anyway before looking up from what he had been doing. "I'm ready."

I nod and glance at Marik who is waiting at the door, eying us curiously. "We're good to go," I say and stand up from the divan. The general nods as well while Yugi collects the needles, linen and the alcohol. I glance at Bakura who is sitting by the window. He is looking a bit uncomfortable, glancing at Yugi's needles with unease. I smile a little at his expression. "Do you want to come along or do you want to stay here?"

"I'd rather stay here," the former thief smiles a little. "I saw his healing once; I don't want to see it again. It was freaky. I think I'll maybe wander around a little and chat with the servants of this place if it's alright."

"As long as you stay out of people's way it shouldn't be a problem," Marik nods to him before I and Yugi follow the tanned warrior out of the room.

When the pharaoh and the high priest had demanded proof of Yugi's skills as healer, Yugi had decided that he would prove them by restarting his lung. By now Teana should've been collected to bare witness and to be the expert to assess if Yugi is good or not - that's at least what I would do if I was in the position of the pharaoh and the high priest, I wouldn't take just our word for it. Even though I am confident about Yugi's abilities, I am a bit worried and anxious. "Where are we doing this? Not in the throne room, I hope."

"No, Teana has offered one of her rooms for this. It's the very same room where she usually treats the pharaoh," the general answers.

Good. Quarters of skilled healer such as she should be appropriate for something like this - even though Yugi could probably do this anywhere. I glance at him while we walk to see that he's still counting the needles. "Is something wrong?" I ask.

"No, not really. It's just that starting the lung will be a tad bit harder than shutting it down. I think I may need all of the needles to do it," he shrugs. "Nothing to worry about, master Kaiba."

"What about the pharaoh?" I ask. "If you can cure him, how many needles will you need?"

"If he's suffering of what I think he is suffering, I'm not going to need more than few in the end."

I frown a little. "One could think that as his situation is worse he would need more… thorough treatment."

Yugi glances up with a small smile. "In the end his problem is caused by nerves and nerves are like chains. It could be that only one link in those chains is broken and to fix it I won't need the whole tool shed but maybe two tools. Lung on the other hand is like wheel in enormous clockwork of machinery. If it jams so does the whole machinery, so it's a bit more difficult. By doing something wrong I could mess up the whole clockwork."

I wonder about that analogy before nodding. I'm not as informed about the machinery which is human body as he is, I mostly know about hormones and liquids in humans, but I can see the sense in what he said. "Well, you know the best," I say and glance at him carefully. "Any indication if you _can_ do it?"

"At the moment is fifty-percent chance. It all depends which of his nerves are wounded and how," he mutters with a worried frown. "So I really don't know yet, but if I get the permission to examine the pharaoh then I will."

"I hope you'll get the permission. For his sake."

We come to a door which is not shaped like the other doors here, but this has a definite Indian touch in it. Marik knocks and asks for permission to enter, which is granted by the voice of the high priest - whose voice is eerily similar to my own. We follow the general inside to see room decorated by veil-like curtains of soft colours, many soft looking cushions and such. In the middle of the room there is a not a table or bed like I expected, but a mattress surrounded by pillows and cushions.

The high priest and the pharaoh are both sitting near the window with the priest hovering near the ruler who is resting against the pillows. Teana is sitting on a cushion near the mattress in the middle of the room. She smiles to us while the ruler and the priest eye us with strange cold indifference, making me wonder how many fake healers they have seen, how many phoneys have tried to offer their services to the crippled pharaoh.

It's strange how I can't think either of them with their names. With Marik, Bakura and Teana I can, but these two… not so much.

"This should be interesting," the sour pharaoh murmurs and flashes a cruel, cold smile. "Teana will be observing what your slave does and how… effective it is." His tone tells a tall tale about his suspicion of this all.

I glance at Yugi. "Teana will monitor you as you work, probably looking inside you while you do you thing," I say to him in Japanese.

"As long as she doesn't actually _do_ anything with her powers, that's fine. If her powers really are automatically healing then she could affect my acupuncture, as I need to harm myself in a way to do it," Yugi looks a bit worried. "I wouldn't want her to heal me when I have needles in me and I'm trying to manipulate my nerves. It could damage me without repair."

I turn to Teana. "Yugi is worried about the effect of your powers on him. What he does is very precise and if your powers on their own start to heal him while he's still working on himself, it could be fatal to him."

The Indian healer looks shocked for a moment before nodding. "I will only watch, my powers will have absolutely no affect on him, I promise."

I translate this to Yugi who nods with clear relief. The pharaoh narrows is eyes a bit before nodding. "Your slave may begin when he wishes."

I nod to Yugi to tell him he can begin and with a nod of his own, he sits in kneeling position on the mattress near Teana. As I find myself a seat near by, Yugi opens the needle cases, dips the linen in the alcohol and stars to sterilising the needles. Immediately the pharaoh demands to know what Yugi is doing.

"Yugi's healing happens by those needles, you will soon see how," I answer. "What he is doing now is cleaning the needles for impurities by using pure alcohol."

"Alcohol?" the high priest frowns a little.

"Alcohol can be used such way, high priest," Teana answers for me and quickly explains little of the possible uses of alcohol. She looks a bit impressed when she looks at Yugi. "Not very many people know this, however. It's testimony to his knowledge that he does."

"Not really," I shake my head. "The purifying effect of alcohol is common knowledge in our culture."

"It must be a very informed culture then," Teana murmurs with a smallest glint in her eyes, making me nearly roll my eyes. That darned god business again… I really want to know where they got that stupid idea. Well, at least I know that the high priest and the pharaoh don't believe in it.

After the needles have been purified, Yugi easily undresses the top of his abaya, causing many to raise their eyebrows. "He needs direct access to his skin to do what he is about to do," I explain while Yugi quickly rubs the alcohol-soaked linen over his shoulders, neck and spine to clean away the possible bacteria from his skin. Then my bodyguard takes the first needle and reaches back.

"What is he doing?" the high priest gasps as Yugi sinks the needle easily to his skin until he has half inch of thin stainless steel inside his flesh. The pharaoh and Teana look shocked too. "Doesn't that hurt him?"

"No," I shake my head. "The needles are result of centuries of work, they are perfected to the point that they are so sharp that the incision doesn't hurt at all."

"He speaks the truth," Teana assures with slightly shaky voice. She has now raised her hands towards Yugi to see or feel what he's doing. "Yugi did not feel pain at all. But… I felt something happen and I cannot explain what it was."

I frown a little wondering how I should explain it. "Well, at first you will have to understand certain thing about human bodies," I say to the now vividly listening ruler, priest, healer and warrior. "Human body consist of many things, bones, muscles, sinews, certain organs and so forth and so forth. All movement and your very life depend on how they work and so fort. This you all probably know." They nod in agreement and I continue. "As we've travelled in your land, I've come into the conclusion that you know nothing about the nerves."

"Nerves?" Teana asks softly while Yugi calmly inserts another needle. "I know little about them, but… I can't say that I have never understood them or their purpose. I know that if you hit your elbow in certain point, nerve point, it will go numb and tingly, but that's all."

"Nerves are what take orders from here," I motion my temple, "to everywhere in human body. They are what connect the brain into every single organ, limb and body function we have in our bodies. When you want to move your hand it's the nerves which will deliver this command from your mind to your hand, and so fort. Everything in you is controlled by the brain and the nerves are the brain's way of communicating with your body."

"Even… walking?" the pharaoh asks with a frown.

I nod. "How you move, what you sense… pain for example is almost purely a nerve-based function. The way your skins feels is delivered to the brain through nerves, what you taste, what you smell, what you see, what you hear… all information you absorb in any way goes to your brain through your nervous system."

"What Yugi is now doing is manipulating that nerve system in him," I motion on bodyguard who is inserting the fourth needle now. "This is his healing. He doesn't actually _heal_ but he _manipulates_ his body. He shut his lung this way when it was wounded, by manipulating the nerves in him until the organ just stopped working, and now he is going to restart its function in same way."

"If it actually works that's pretty impressive," the pharaoh admits reluctantly while trying to shift into more comfortable position. "What else can this healing of his do beside shut down organs?"

"Shutting down organs isn't an actual function of this healing method but rather a bastardised version of it which Yugi developed in the moment of need. What Yugi's method of healing is made for is pain management and manipulation," I shrug while eying Yugi. "I've lost count on how many headaches and bouts of pain I have experienced have been healed by him and those skills of his."

"By inserting needles into someone you can stop them from feeling pain?" the high priest asks with narrowed eyes.

"Pretty much."

"Sounds a bit farfetched."

"Tell me about it. I still shiver each time he pulls those needles out," I mutter while craning my neck to see how Yugi pushes the needle into neck. We quieten down while Yugi continues to do what he's doing. Teana frowns a little while observing what Yugi does, but doesn't say anything, just shakes her head to say that there is nothing to say.

"I feel that _something_ is happening, but… it's so little that it doesn't seem to have much affect on anything in him - and his right lung still isn't working," she mutters more to herself than to us who listening to her.

"How long will it take until your lung will be working again?" I ask from Yugi carefully.

"Twenty minutes maybe. Then I'll have to be still another half an hour to get the effect permanent," Yugi says. I translate his words to the others. The pharaoh and the high priest still seem a bit suspicious but Teana is simply frowning and concentrating in witnessing what Yugi is doing, trying her hardest to detect the smallest of changes Yugi is making in himself.

"Like sparks," she mutters. "What he does feels like incredibly tiny sparks. Too small to be actually felt…"

I nod. What I remember of nerves themselves is that nerve impulses are actually small waves of electricity. If her magical senses are finely tuned enough, I suppose they would feel like sparks. I lean back to watch Yugi as he works, and I wonder. How does acupuncture actually work in the inside? Is he nudging on the nerves, impaling them… what? I don't actually know. Doesn't really matter either way, because he is the one who's doing it and as long as he knows I don't need to know. Though…

"This technique of healing has its risks, though," I murmur just in case - I don't want these people to re-invent the acupuncture and then do it horribly wrong. Best to warn them so that they don't get any stupid ideas. "The nervous system is very delicate, very fragile, and it affects everything in the body. Doing it wrong could cause damage beyond repair. If Yugi does mistake he could not only hurt himself, but possibly shut of more of his organs and body functions. Needle in wrong place could cause him his life too."

"Yet he does it without hesitation," the pharaoh says with just a hint of awe in his voice.

"He has studied for years and his precision is the best I've seen. He knows well enough and is skilled enough to not cause any harm," I frown a little. "And of course as he learned this skill to use it on _me_ he cannot afford to do any mistakes."

"Because he would be killed if he did?" the pharaoh narrows his eyes in accusation.

I narrow my eyes back at him. "Because he loves me."

"It's true, my pharaoh," Marik mutters from the back. "I've witnessed it myself and I don't think anyone is as devoted to anyone as Mutô is to master Kaiba. Heck, he took three arrows to his hind for master Kaiba, and I guess those other scars have similar history."

I glance at Yugi and lower my eyes a bit with a slight frown. "Yes, they all do," I murmur with slight guilt. "Each is a memento of an assassination attempt he stopped by risking his own life."

The pharaoh and the high priest glance at each other before continuing to silently observe Yugi. I do the same, my thoughts now trailing back to the times when those scars were still fresh wounds. Back then I always cried and cursed him for bleeding for me, but now… now I know why he did it and it makes me feel even guiltier. Because in a way each and every one of those scars is a painful declaration of love never spoken aloud before yesterday.

Finally the twenty minutes have passed, and Teana blinks sharply at something which is happening in Yugi as my bodyguard inserts his final needle into his shoulder. Teana's eyes widen as Yugi suddenly inhales sharply, painfully, and starts coughing harshly, agonizingly.

"I-it's working! His right lung is working again!" the Indian healer whispers in a way which seems very loud as Yugi struggles to breath now with both of his lungs.

"Why is he coughing, why does he seem to be in pain?" the high priest asks sharply.

"You have to consider that he hasn't breathed with that lung for one day and night," I answer while craning my neck to see his expression. It isn't pained, which makes me sigh with relief - if he's good enough to control his expressions then the pain isn't bad.

"And there is a little bit of blood in his lung still," Teana mutters. "But it's working; each breath he takes is making his right lung stronger again. This is… unbelievable."

"So… he's good?" The pharaoh asks thoughtfully.

"He's amazing. I don't know _anyone_ who could do what he just did, and I know quite many skilled healers from many different cultures," the healer looks up with shining eyes while Yugi's breaths turn steady and then silent again. "Sir, I really think you should let him take a look at your legs."

The ruler hesitates, glances his high priest for a moment before nodding. "He can take a look," the pharaoh speaks slowly before frowning. "But you all will be here when he does. I've had enough of those Ra damned phoneys and criminals pretending to be healers," the ruler's voice turns more and bitterer towards the end. I guess I was on the right track in my earlier pondering of the man - phoneys and fake healers had had their part in turning the man bitter.

"How will Yugi perform his examination?" the high priest asks me half curiously and half threateningly, the _or else_ practically growling in the back of his voice.

I ask the same question from Yugi who answers with a smile. I chuckle. "By a massage," I answer to the pharaoh with a shake of head. "He won't even use the needles in the examination."

"Massage?" The pharaoh blinks with surprise. "Is he any good massager?"

"Probably the best out there," I answer without hesitation. "I've been the very willing victim of his massages enough times to know."

"Well then. I guess we'll start when your slave has finished his own treatment," the pharaoh murmurs and glances at the high priest. "In the mean while I think I would like something to eat."

I watch with mixed feelings and the high priest - my counterpart - easily takes the pharaoh into his arms and carries him away from the room as if it was the easiest thing to do. "In them our roles completely reverse," I murmur in Japanese to Yugi who is also looking watching their departure.

"In certain ways, yes," Yugi smiles slightly. "In others, no."

Yeah. If one of them would love other like Yugi loves me, it would be incestuous. I glance at my bodyguard. "You're the _pharaoh_ in this world. You sure you're content with your life in ours, Yugi?"

"Absolutely, master Kaiba," he chuckles.

Half an hour later Yugi is finished not only with the treatment on himself, but also finished pulling the needles off from his person. When the pharaoh is returned by the high priest, has the needles resting on alcohol soaked linen, pushed aside along with the bottle and the cases while he waits beside the mattress. The high priest lowers the pharaoh to the mattress gently, raising the pharaoh to hiss a bit.

Yugi glances at me and I nod before looking at the ruler and the priest. "I mean no disrespect with this, but Yugi needs access on the pharaoh's skin," I speak to them. "Minimal clothing would be preferred."

The pharaoh frowns a bit, hesitates… and then allows it with a nod. I'm strongly reminded of how Yugi acts towards me these days when the high priest moves to help the pharaoh out of his clothing. Underneath the royal clothing is simple white loin cloth, and whole lot of bandages which cover the entire length of his legs. Yugi narrows his eyes, closely watching as the high priest unwraps the silken bandages gently. By the winces and hisses one can easily tell what it feels like to the pharaoh, who unsurprisingly is extremely thin underneath his clothing.

Yugi asks something which I translates. "Is the skin on your legs tender to all touch, pharaoh?"

"Not when I don't move at all," the ruler answers and nods towards the priest who is holding one of his feet slightly up to get the bandages easily off. "But now it does hurt a bit. Not as much as when I try to stand, but…"

Yugi nods thoughtfully, eyes glazing for a moment. Then, when the priest is done with the bandages, Yugi moves to kneel beside the pharaoh's feet and speaks. I translate. "He will start to massage up from your feet at first, then moving up your legs. If it hurts just say so."

And then Yugi begins and everyone watches. As I have experiences Yugi's foot massages, I know exactly what the pharaoh feels as Yugi starts to gently temp the muscles underneath the caramel skin with his more than skilled fingers. Yet everyone can tell it isn't just a massage as Yugi's finger systematically work over the tanned toes and sinews in the top of the feet. Just by the look on his face everyone can tell that Yugi is making mental notes of everything he counters with his fingers.

The pharaoh tries to watch what Yugi is doing for a moment before his eyes glaze and drift close. I smile at the reaction a little, just before the pharaoh sighs. "Gods, that feels heavenly," he mumbles distractedly before just relaxing on the mattress.

Yugi smiles a little as well, before moving his fingers underneath the ankle to tease them along the hard sinew there. I half expected to see a reaction, but the pharaoh doesn't even wince - Yugi looks strangely thoughtful and maybe a bit worried though. Now my bodyguard starting to move up the calves, his fingers now working in a bit longer strokes.

"What do you think?" I finally ask him as he moves to knee.

"There's nothing wrong with the legs," Yugi answers while again tempting sinews, this time the ones behind the pharaoh knee. "But that I knew already."

"Then what are you doing?" I ask with slight confusion.

"Studying him to find his acupuncture points," again my bodyguard's voice is calm. "Not that I need to actually _use_ them, but knowing where they are will help me later. …and maybe I'm a bit curious to see how much he and I differ."

Yugi moves to midway of the pharaoh's thigh - causing the high priest to frown _very_ darkly - before moving back and starting on the other feet. Then he does the same studying to that felt starting from the toes. Then he pauses and speaks to me to have me translate it to the pharaoh.

"Yugi will now move your feet to determine what kind of functions causes the pain," I say to the ruler who opens his eyes worriedly. "But only if you allow it, of course," I add and the priests dark look. After moment of hesitation the pharaoh takes a deep breath and nods. Yugi nods as well, before gently taking hold of the ankle and slipping his hand underneath the calve, to gently raise the pharaoh's left leg from the mattress. The pharaoh winces slightly, causing Yugi to stop for a moment before my bodyguard gently moves the feet itself while keeping the leg in place.

"What is he doing?" the high priest asks sharply as the pharaoh inhales sharply.

Teana, who has been again monitoring the whole deal with her powers, answers for me. "I think he's trying to determine in which positions which muscles hurt, what kind of movement causes the pain," she frowns a little and glances at me. "Am I right?"

"Probably," I nod and turn to Yugi to ask the same question from him. He nods as well before gently lowering the foot back to the mattress. Then he speaks again so that I may translate. "Yugi wishes you to do something," I turn to look at the pharaoh's face. "He needs for you to wiggle your toes."

The pharaoh frowns a little while Yugi positions his other hand over the pharaoh's feet and other underneath the calve. Then the ruler does as my bodyguard asked, wincing sharply while Yugi frowns and bows his head. Then he raises his eyes to look at me with dark eyes.

"You can't do anything, can you?" I whisper.

"It's not just walking. All muscle movement he makes causes pain. And what more the nerves in his legs are fine. Just somewhere there is a snag before the information gets to his brain. I guess it's in his spine," my bodyguard releases the pharaoh's leg and leans back with a dark frown. "His legs sent healthy signals towards the centre of his nerve system, his spine. And there, in his spine, something translates all movement he makes as pain," he sighs helplessly and looks at me. "This isn't just nerve damage. This is spinal damage."

"And you can't do anything about it," I shake my head with sigh and rub my hands along my eyes. "You can't end his pain."

When I look up again, Yugi is staring at me strangely. Then he turns thoughtful, very thoughtful as his eyes and expression darkens further. "Turn him around," he then says sharply, which I quickly translate to the priest, who frowns worriedly before helping the equally worried pharaoh to his stomach. Yugi quickly moves to massage his fingers over the pharaoh's bony back, following the muscles, bones and tracks of nerves which flow underneath the tanned skin. He frowns a little, closing his eyes and just going by touch, his fingers working mostly along the spine.

"There," he mutters after he found something in the pharaoh's neck. "Ask them if I can try a single needle."

"Yugi wishes to try something. He would need to insert one needle into the pharaoh's skin," I translate. The pharaoh and the high priest exchange expressive glances before they nod - and the threat is quite visible in the priest eyes as he does so.

"Do it," I say to Yugi who immediately reaches for his needles, grasps one, and inserts is swiftly into the pharaoh's skin as if afraid he would lose the point he had found if he didn't work faster. Then he moves quickly back and glances at me with strangely wide eyes, and again asks me to translate. My eyes widen a bit as well as I turn to the pharaoh. "Try standing up."

The pharaoh turns to look at me with disbelief. Then he glances at Yugi who is looking at him with strangely bright amethyst eyes. Then with determination in his eyes, the pharaoh moves, slowly at first but then quicker. By the time he is sitting on his knees his eyes are wide with shock - and so is everyone else's. When he moves to his feet, his mouth is hanging open.

"T-the pain… the pain is gone!" he wishers roughly and turns to look at Yugi who is watching his every movement with sharp eyes. "How did he do that? He made the pain go away, how did he do that?" the pharaoh demands to know.

"I stopped his pain," Yugi answers after my translation. "All of it."

"All of it?" I ask with surprise.

"All of it," Yugi nods darkly. "If I make that permanent, he will never again feel any pain. There is actual inherited disorder like this, CIPA - Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. They once showed us how to mimic the disorder when I was still learning acupuncture… it's not actual acupuncture method because it is very harmful and has whole load of risks. Because he would never feel any pain he would never know if he was wounded and therefore could be wounded very seriously without ever knowing. He could burn to death and he would never even feel it."

I look at him with wide eyes before turning to quickly explain the same to the pharaoh. While the high priest looks worried, the pharaoh looks rapt. "Never feel any pain?" he asks before raising his hand to pinch his other hand. He does it few times, looking fascinated. "I can't feel it… and he could make this lasting."

"I would never offer something like this to a patient," Yugi murmurs while looking at the pharaoh who carefully takes steps while leaning onto his priest's arm. "But to him… to him it's different. He has been in pain for a long time and he has someone like Teana around him to heal his every bruise and cut - not to mention the high priest to make sure he never gets them…" my bodyguard chuckles darkly. "And he doesn't live in world of cars and guns and such."

"Yeah, in this place and with him there isn't the same risk as normal people have in our world," I fold my hands and look at him worriedly. "Do you think this really is the best thing to do?"

"I don't know," he whispers half helplessly, half desperately as he watches the pharaoh stumble only to be quickly caught by the priest, who is carefully avoiding touching the needle in the king's neck. "I really don't know."

In the end the decision wasn't left for Yugi and me to decide. When the evening comes, the pharaoh of Kemet cannot feel pain anymore. The pharaoh decided, and Yugi had to deliver unless he wanted to face all of the pharaoh's wrath - which included his magical power and the physical power of his army. The king of Kemet had been living in pain long enough I suppose; he wasn't going to wait for Yugi to make up his mind about it. And now, for better or worse, he no longer feels pain.

"Our counter parts, hm…" I trail off while Yugi hands me a plate of food in the guest quarters of the palace. Bakura is sitting once more on the window sill, deep in thought while Yugi stands up to take another plate to him. "Not very much like us, but then again, neither are the other counterparts we've met."

"Marik lacks the warmth Malik learned, Bakura lacks the devotion Ryô excels in, Teana lacks the utter strength of mind Tea is known of…" Yugi speaks while taking the final plate of food from the tray which was delivered to us not long ago by the palace servants. "My counterpart is…"

"Wilful without your softness and demanding without explanation. He hides nothing while you hide everything," I murmur while I gather some meat to my fork. "And of course cold, bitter and kind of cruel too."

"Man living his life has the right to be," Yugi shrugs. "And in return your counterpart is… blankly caring and selfless."

"Nothing I am, I'm sure," I snort amusedly, causing him to smile a little before he takes bite of his food. "He didn't say much, though. Quiet guy."

"Different circumstances breed different people."

"True."

Were quiet for a while, and in our quiet Bakura, who has been quiet for a while, gathers his courage to speak. "In case you're interested, I found out why Marik thinks you're god… and how," he speaks. I look up curiously and motion him to continue. "It's a bundle of small things you did, I guess. The fact that someone as small as Yugi can be as strong as he is, some things you said about your world and your selves, the ways you worded things, the whole magic thing…"

"Apparently he thinks you were either kicked out from your world," Bakura continues. "From the world of gods I mean. He suspects that it was a punishment of sorts, and that it has something to do with Yugi, whom he by the way believes to be servant of gods. Forbidden love or something of the sorts."

I blink with confusion a bit as he continues. "Yugi apparently had wings at some point, but they were ripped away, leaving the scars which are over his shoulder blades. Both of you were cursed with mortality and Yugi, who loves you dearly, now protects you from everything which explains all the scars on him… and the fact that he protects you from everything."

"And now you're here, wondering around and waiting for the day the other gods will allow you back to heaven or where ever you hail from," Bakura finishes with a huff. "Well, the story was a bit longer when I heard it, and had all these interesting twists like the fact that you are the god of dragons or the king of dragons or something. And Yugi has a siren's effect on you. And that you had seen my future before you were kicked out from your world and because of that you bought me from the caravan. _Because of the one I could've been_ or something like that."

I start to chuckle, turning to glance at Yugi. "Our Malik has one heck of imagination, but nothing like Marik," I say to him in Japanese, making him look curious as I turn to look at Bakura again. "From who did you hear this all?"

"Couple of priests were talking in the hall, I just happened to be close enough to hear it," Bakura shrugs. "They really believed in it too."

I continue to chuckle as I recite the tale to Yugi, who is grinning widely towards the end. "Pretty farfetched," he says. "But I can see why they would think that, master Kaiba. As I see it, you have been quite secretive about us ever since the beginning."

"Maybe," I shrug. "But what could I say; that we're from another reality? Besides the pharaoh and the high priest didn't seem to believe in it, thank gods."

"They didn't," Yugi nods too, still amused. "Servant of gods? Well, if you are god in their mind I guess that would be a way of putting my stance. Having wings could be nice, though."

I snort and glance at him thoughtfully. He has been acting a bit strange all day - it's nothing you'd notice if you didn't know him, but I notice. His eyes have not once flickered from amethyst to red or blue. They have darkened and brightened with his moods yes, but he hasn't let emotions into his eyes. He has also been acting strangely towards me. I don't think he has said the word _master_ more than few times today, which makes me wonder what he's trying to do. Draw me closer or push me away?

I wonder what he wants from me. Not what he asks because he never does, but what he wants in that part of his mind and heart he has never revealed to me - in his most secret dreams, what does he want from me? My devotion my love… my touch? Sadly I don't do devotion well. The only person I am devoted in any manner is Mokuba but we share the same genes, so it's kind of given…

As I stare at him he looks at me with strange nervousness but doesn't say anything while Bakura tries not to stare at us. Could I, with my personality, love him like he loves me? I don't think so. I don't have the qualities he has, I couldn't devote myself to him like he has done to me… but I could love him differently. Proudly, possessively… greedily, because those are my qualities. No wait, I _couldn't_… because I already _do_.

_My Yugi… mine_. How many times have I thought that lately, even before he said anything? I frown a little. Now that I think about it, I've said it long before any of this. First time when he was still eleven and I was fifteen, when he was in hospital after that deserted island incident. "_You're mine, Yugi, you're not allowed to die_," I said to him just before they took him away to get the wound treated. I think I say it to him every time before he goes into surgery thanks to another bullet wound and another cut.

I do love him and there is no shock in this revelation or singing angels of even sparkles. But then again, why would there be when it is as natural as breathing to me? My eyes soften and my gut twists as I realise that I've probably loved Yugi as long as he has loved me without either of us knowing it.

But how do I tell _Yugi_ that without risking him thinking that I'm pitying him or something similar?

"So…" Bakura breaks the tensing silence. "You've cured the pharaoh. Now what?"

I look up and shake my thoughts away - for now. coughing to clear away the tightness of my throat, I speak. "Tomorrow Yugi will fight the high priest. Then… then we'll see."

xx

I'm not satisfied with this chapter at all. One more chapter to go and this thing is finally finished. And lookie, no cliffy. Reviers are much appreciated : )


	9. Ninth part

**Ninth part**

I'm still not sure what I thought of high priest Seth, my counterpart. Physically he was very much like me, only bulkier and with darker skin. Personality-wise he was quieter and more selfless - kind of withdrawn really while I don't really hide my opinions or thoughts. I know that unlike with pharaoh Atem and Yugi, who personality-wise were worlds apart from each other, with me and Seth you could really tell that we were just two different versions of same person. I know that if I had lived through the life he lived, I would be exactly like him, and if he had lived my life he would be just like me as well. But what I thought of him, what do I think of him? I don't really know. I suppose Yugi would say the same should I ask what he _really_ thinks of pharaoh Atem.

And what of the fight between the high priest and my bodyguard? On some days I regret it. On others I'm proud of it. Most of the time I don't know if it was a success or a mistake and I don't know if it had a good or bad effect on Yugi, either. He hasn't really spoken about it after it happened. I think he's trying to avoid thinking about it.

x

It hasn't been this awkward since the beginning, sleeping in same bed with Yugi. The air is tense, I am tense, and even though he is very carefully hiding it, I _know_ he is tense. Both of us is awake and neither shows it to each other even though we both know… we're just lying here, still, silent… as if waiting for some sign, some way to break the awkwardness.

Yugi woke up before me, I know he did. He always does unless he's horribly wounded. I wonder why he stayed in the bed. Nothing's there to keep him here - after all, I was still too afraid for his wounds to sleep against him. He hid it well in the night, but I could tell he was disappointed and maybe even sad - and I couldn't say it was because of his wounds because it would've sounded too much like excuse…

I desperately want to hear his heartbeats, I suddenly realise. Even though the slightest tingle, subconscious wariness and the awkwardness easily tells me he's awake, I can't hear him, I can't sense him… with my eyes closed it's as if he isn't there at all, and it's driving me mad. I want to lay against him, feel his warmth and hear those steady beats of his strong, calm heart.

But… I'm still afraid. I want him to understand and not speculate. If I say or do or act in some way now, he's bound to think that it's because I'm pitying him or feeling some sort of twisted duty to him because of his confession. And it's not, it's really not. I _love_ him… but how can I make him understand that it's the truth when I can't even say the words aloud? Love is not something I usually believe in, it's actually something I mostly avoid if it doesn't have anything to do with Mokuba, and still…

I can't take this anymore. Opening my eyes I turn my face to him to see him laying on his back, his face expressionlessly calm. Now when I see him in the dim light of the sunrise, I can see that he is really there and very much alive. His chest raises and falls with his breaths. He doesn't open his eyes as I let my eyes wander down the profile of his face - thin eyebrows, eyelids which are covering his large, expressive eyes, smooth cheeks which now have the slightest hint of sun's touch in them…

I turn to my side and prop myself half up by pressing my elbow against my pillow. From this angle I can see most of his face. Yugi, no matter how you look at him, isn't handsome. No matter how strong and brave he is, he has the face of a boy. Especially when he lets it fall expressionless and calm like he has now, he looks more like child than anything else. His face has hint of roundness in it, his eyes are entirely too large, his nose is just a bit upturned… one day he will be handsome in way the pharaoh already is in away, but that day isn't here yet and even though Yugi is man from the inside, his outside is that of a boy.

Yet that doesn't really matter, doesn't it? I smile a little and reach my hand out to touch his face. His boy-like appearance or that ridiculous hair, his face and his hair and eyes, and that amusing nose, they are all part of the packet. Packet that belongs to me.

As is eyes open halfway, giving him sleepy look, I run my fingers down his cheek, and for one stupid moment I wonder what it is in him that I love. Then I berate myself. I'm both too selfish and selfless to pick one quality. All of him, every single quality and trait, belongs to me. If I would pick one thing I would be shallow. There are good and bad qualities in him just like there is in every human being, and pros and cons both belong to me. Mine, mine and only mine.

Yugi's looking at me with question written in his eyes, but doesn't say anything as I continue to trace his face with my fingers. Slowly his lids fall lower and lower until his eyes are closed. As I run my thumb over his closed eyelid, his lips fall just slightly open - and somehow I know that it expresses enjoyment. My smile widens a bit as I let my fingers continue their exploring, happy that he hasn't said anything, happy that I don't have to say anything.

Crawling closer, I situate my other hand in way that I can reach Yugi with it even while I lean on it. He inhales slowly as I slip my fingers into his two-colour hair and I can see his eyes moving underneath his eyelids. He doesn't move, though. His hands remain at his sides, he is still and he doesn't show expressions either. He's just still and lets me touch him, causing a slightest shiver run down my spine. I know without question and doubt that I am not just the only one who is allowed to touch him like this, but I am also the first to do it. And then I realise that he is completely untouched, that no one has ever even kissed him.

With his lips a bit open like that - so invitingly - my own thoughts become too much for me. Before I can think about it twice, I'm leaning in to taste his lips. Yugi jerks and gasps as my lips fall over his chapped ones, but he quickly suppresses his own reactions and falls completely silent, allowing me to do as I will. And I do. Gently coaxing his lips with my own, I revel in the sensation. His lips are rough, small and very cool, bordering on cold. I guess he's using that technique of his - which makes me wonder if he is as cold in the inside as he feels on the outside.

He inhales sharply when I run my tongue over his chapped upper lip. Shiver runs though me when he opens up and allows me in. Another shiver follows the first one when I find that his mouth isn't only warm but almost hot. All rational thought is out the window as I gently tilt his head to get better access and then explore his moist heat with all the greediness and possessiveness of owner. And he allows it all with the complete submission of a person owned by another.

By the time I finally pull back I'm just slightly breathy and his lips are kiss-swollen. Yugi stares at me with wide blue eyes, only slightest tint in the upper edges of the irises showing any sign of his usual amethyst eye-colour. His lips are frozen in the state I left them and he is completely still, tense in way I have never seen him. His breathing quivers just slightly, as if he doesn't know if he's allowed to breathe in this moment - as if he doesn't know if he dares to.

I gaze down to him for any sings of dislike or aversion. When I see none, I don't hesitate before falling back to his lips. This time he responds with slow, deep inhale before his lips moves - and suddenly it's not just me who is kissing, we are kissing. And I'll be damned if it's not the most amazing thing I've ever felt - even if he is very inexperienced and kind of poor kisser, it's still incredible.

But even though he answers to my kissing in kind and even though his taste makes me want to devour him, I can sensehis confusion. It forces me to pull back again to look at him eventually, to see the glazed look in his eyes. Running my thumb over his cheek and stroking his multi colour hair gently, I place a chaste kiss onto his lips before backing away further and frowning slightly. Now how do I explain this?

"Ma… master Seto?" Yugi whispers with worry and confusion.

I love you Yugi… and I can't say it. I won't come out from my lips. I take a deep breath and sigh heavily before laying my forehead against his, enjoying his scent and the sensation of sharing my every breath with him. He looks strangely adorable like this, so close and so confused. It isn't everyday I can confuse him. "Mine," my voice quivers so much, but I don't care as I look searchingly into his eyes. Understand, Yugi, please! "_Mine_."

Yugi looks back with equally searching eyes before he raises his right hand and places it over my cheek. "Yes," he whispers back with equally quivering voice, and the devotion turns his tone husky and breathy. I nearly fall limp with relief, only to be caught by his arms. He understands, he really does, and no more explanations are needed.

Resting my head on his shoulder - which makes me a bit sad as I can't rest it on his chest because of the injuries - I relax against him and enjoy the tingling sensation of pure relief and happiness that runs through me. It reminds me of the moments just before the whole energy project fiasco - moment in which I know everything is about to change. Because even though it seems natural, this does change everything. And this is one change I think I don't want to go without.

"You know, master Seto, I really thought that if this would ever come, the earth would shake and the day would become night," Yugi murmurs somewhat dazedly. "This is kind of anticlimactic."

"Some of the most important things are," I murmur amusedly before snuggling my face into his bare skin. He smells like earth and wind and sweat and fruits - strangely delicious. And that scent along with the rest of him is so very _mine_… "And _please_ stop calling me master. It wouldn't feel right anymore." He chuckles quietly but doesn't answer - making me believe that I'll be harassed by the title of master until some distant day in the future when I manage to make him change his mind - if I'll ever manage to do it.

After moment of enjoying him - his scent, strange cool warmth and the heavy feeling of his arm as it rests on my shoulders - I prop myself up again to look at him. He looks back with a small smile on his lips, his hand hesitatingly rising again to my cheek. Like I did before, he explores my face gently as if for the first time. Like he did before I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling. I have been touched before in many different manners, but this is something else, so much more important - and so much more enjoyable than any other touch I've felt previously.

When his thumb runs over my lips, I open my eyes to witness how he stares at my mouth. Smile tugs on the corner of my lips, causing him to look up just before I lower my head. This time he rises his head eagerly so that our lips meet in the middle, colliding with ease. As his arms come to settle around my shoulders and I take my hands to his hair to manoeuvre him into just right position… knock that rattles the door interrupts us.

As we part with sigh and soft gasp, Bakura speaks through the door. "Marik's here," he says.

I swallow, take a deep breath, sigh, try to regain composure and then speak. "We'll be right out," I say while looking into Yugi's eyes to see if he's as annoyed as I am. No, he's even more so. I smirk down at him and ignoring the fact that we are waited and should be hurrying out I descend upon him and claim his lips into brief but _thorough_ kiss.

"Mine," I whisper to him before getting up and reaching for my clothing. The sight of his dishevelled state - messy hair, glazed eyes, blush, kiss-swollen lips and hint of heavier breathing - makes me smirk. Finally I know how to break Yugi's usual composure and calm - and it's more enjoyable than I anticipated. Makes me want to ravish him really, but that has to wait.

…and I kind of want to do that in our home, in the mansion, in the bed we have been sharing for years. In the place where we are comfortable, not in some other reality where we can't be ourselves not to even mention actually knowing anyone.

I quickly shake the thought away as I pull my abaya on before Yugi can snap out of his haze and start playing dress up with me. I manage to get the belt around my waist before he does snap into reality and quickly sits up. He looks at me for a moment before shuddering slightly and reaching for his clothing. "I guess you'll be doing that lot in the upcoming days, master Seto?" he asks half amusedly and half confusedly as if realising that he had given away his weak point, but not knowing if it was good or bad thing.

"Try upcoming years," I smirk and throw his abaya to him. He smiles a little before pulling the clothing on with a strange sigh. As I start to pull my sandals on, he wraps his belts around his waist with ease. I pull my scarf on while he slips his feet into his sandals and as soon as his hair has been covered I slip from the bedroom to the sitting room, where Bakura and Marik are waiting for us.

"Good morning, master Kaiba," Marik greets me while reaching for the fruits left there by the servants. "I trust your sleep was pleasant?"

"It was undisturbed, yes," I answer while stifling a mirthless smirk. What Yugi did to the pharaoh yesterday raised even higher reverence in the general. He probably believes into that god-nonsense as strongly as be believes into the raising of the sun. "And how is the pharaoh? I do hope that he has not had any complications."

"Not that I heard of. High priest Seth told me, though, that he had difficulties making the pharaoh rest last night. His royal highness hardly dared to sit down, wanting to walk everywhere and see everything by himself," the general smiles a little. "I have never seen the pharaoh so excited."

"Assuming that it's a good, thing, I'm happy for you and him," I smile a little and glance towards the bedroom over my shoulder, as Yugi steps out. Now completely composed and covered by the scarf, he is fitting his silver wristbands to his fists, turning them slightly to get them into right position.

"I've been wondering…" Marik murmurs while examining Yugi with his eyes - the silver buckle of Yugi's collar, the silver adorned belts, the wristbands… "Why is it that Yugi wears so much silver when you, his master, wear no jewellery at all?" He glances at the card-shaped locked hanging from my neck which I never remove. "Well, except for that. If I'm correct, Yugi doesn't exactly have his own money - and if he does he gives it to you."

"That he does, no matter what I say," I smile a little tightly. "In any case, jewellery doesn't suit me, but it does suit Yugi. I guess he is the way I flaunt my wealth."

"You are wealthy then?" Marik asks curiously. "Well, you have to be to be able to buy two slaves, but still… the money you've used so far is, at least I think so, from the tournament winnings."

"When we left home, we didn't exactly have the time to pack, so all the money we have here is indeed the winnings from the Tournament of Strength," I shake my head. "But back where we came from, I'm one of the richest people of my society." There are actually only twenty-seven people who are richer than I am in the entire world of our reality.

"I see," Marik nods thoughtfully before looking up. "Well, I suggest you eat now. The pharaoh and the high priest are waiting in one of the royal training halls for the match between Yugi and the high priest."

Yugi and I quickly eat the food left for us by the servants - or possibly by Bakura as I can't really be sure. After we've eaten, we get up and follow the general out of the guest quarters - this time Bakura follows us as well, trailing after Yugi. Last time Yugi fought was when it was too dark to see anything, so I guess he's excited to see his master fight in light of day - and Yugi really is more of a master to Bakura and I'll probably ever be. Just like I sign Ryô's and Malik's pay checks, but it's Yugi for whom they really work.

When we pass some people by in the hall, they bow down deeply to me and Yugi - definite sign that the word of the pharaoh's healing has spreaded. It makes me feel a bit awkward because they don't know the pharaoh is still in a way incapacitated, but Yugi doesn't seem to even notice them. "Great many are quite thankful for what Yugi did for the pharaoh," Marik speaks while we pass by a crowd of more or less grovelling priests. "I wouldn't be surprised if there would be great celebrations in the works - not the mention the reward."

"Reward?" I ask a bit apprehensively.

"Yes, of course. Your slave enabled our king to walk again; of course there will be a reward." Marik looks shocked that I even need to ask. "Surely you did not think we would leave such deed unpaid?"

I frown a little and translate what Marik said to Yugi, who blinks slowly, before looking appalled. He doesn't even need to say anything; I already know what he thinks of the reward. "Yugi won't accept it," I say to Marik. "He did not heal the pharaoh for money, and therefore all money you will give him will be left untouched."

"But surely -"

"He won't take it, and I certainly will not take it for him."

Marik looks both worried and impressed in the same time, as he turns to look forward. Thankfully he doesn't say anything more, just silently leads us towards where ever this training hall is. Finally we come to it, and he opens the doors revealing large, rather plank hall with marble floor and quite many weapons decorating the walls. Inside we see the high priest and the pharaoh, latter pacing lazily near window apparently just for the heck of it and former stretching and lacking his usual priestly getup.

While Marik bows low to the pharaoh and to the priest, the ruler turns to look at us. The dark amethyst that has leaked into the usual ruby of the king's eyes isn't missed by either me or Yugi. I hope it will ease Yugi's guilt for taking the sensation of pain entirely from the man. "Good morning," I greet the ruler and the high priest with a slight nod, but I won't bow.

The ruler nods in return. For a moment we are all quiet. I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to proceed from here, and the pharaoh seems to share my indecision. I mean, before that whole healing thing this was just supposed to be a fight between two strong fighters, but now it will be a fight between the pharaoh's "caretaker" and the pharaoh's "miracle healer"… and by the look on the high priest face, it hasn't escaped the others either.

"Well… shall we?" the priest asks while standing up easily. He's dressed into clothing of similar cut to the ruined abaya Yugi wears, and thanks to it I can see that I and he differ physically just as much as the pharaoh and my bodyguard do. Where I am very thin, the high priest is all but. I guess it's given as he has spent his whole life carrying the pharaoh around, but still. Damn that man is muscular.

"Hm," I hesitate and turn to look at Yugi, who is staring at the high priest with slightest frown - smallest hint of worry only I can decipher. "Can you do it? Can you fight him?" I ask from him, causing him to glance at me.

"I…" Yugi hesitates, eyes flickering between me and the high priest for a moment, before he shakes his head. "I don't think I can, master Kaiba. He's… he's too much like you."

"But he isn't me, is he?" I raise an eyebrow. "He's another me, yes, but not me. He doesn't have my personality, my memories, my experiences… he doesn't know you and when you think about it you don't know him either. And it's not like you'll need to kill him or anything. Just think of it as a fight in arena - or something similar to spars between you and Ryô."

Yugi frowns a little, glancing the high priest again while the man glances at the pharaoh. Finally Yugi nods, takes a deep breath, and walks to the floor, facing the high priest. I nod to him with pride and glance at the pharaoh. "Let's do it."

The pharaoh motions me to take a seat near the wall while the high priest levels Yugi with a studious look. As I and silent Bakura take seat, Yugi divests himself of his sandals - causing the high priest look surprised. "Bare feet is the way he has been taught to fight, it's how he fights best," I answer while Marik takes seat beside Bakura.

"I wondered about that when I faced him in Djanet," the general murmurs and then glances at me while Yugi bows - wt makes the high priest's eyes widen slightly. "I wondered about that as well," Marik murmurs. "Why does he do that? And does he do it to everyone?"

"Bow?" I ask with a smile. "Yes, Yugi bows to his every opponent when the fight isn't about life or death. He bows even to his training partners, but then again so do everyone who practice his style of fighting in our society. I guess it's expression of humbleness and respect."

"So you mean… he respects even those he fought against and won?"

I can't help but laugh, causing all but Yugi to turn to look at me with confusion. "There's no question there," I shake my head with amusement. "Because till this day there isn't a single person Yugi had fought against and _not_ beaten."

"You mean he is undefeated?" the high priest asks with shock. "This healer is undefeated?"

"Yugi is first and foremost a fighter. Healing is more of a hobby to him than something he is completely devoted to," I shrug. "He is a _bodyguard_ after all."

The pharaoh glances at me before nodding to the high priest, who easily slips into fighting stance now that Yugi is done bowing. Yugi somewhat hesitatingly does the same - not really wanting to fight at all, but he can easily see that he needs to take this fight seriously, I suppose. If I can see that the high priest is one tough warrior, then Yugi must see it as well.

At first nothing happens. My bodyguard hesitates more while the high priest eyes Yugi thoughtfully for a moment. Minute passes like this, and I can feel the air thicken with anticipation. Finally something snaps, and the high priest - who surprisingly enough is unarmed - rushes forward. Even I can tell he's fast and that his punch packs power, and if I didn't know Yugi I would be worried. Thankfully I do know my bodyguard, and the easy what Yugi avoids the fist punch isn't a surprise.

And then it's on. Even while Yugi is uncertain, the high priest certainly isn't as each of the man's hits aims for weak spots with all the power of a sledge hammer. But even in indecision, Yugi is still Gentle Wind, and no matter how much power the high priest invests each punch, Yugi has little trouble avoiding them. I smirk with satisfaction as the high priest jumps back, seemingly frustrated.

"Can I use a weapon in this fight?" the high priest then asks me and the pharaoh. He motions at the battle knife hanging from Yugi's belt. "He already seems to have a weapon."

"It's fine by me, and I know Yugi won't have anything against it," I nod, and the pharaoh allows weapons as well. With a pleased nod, the high priest reaches his hand forward strangely and mutters something. My eyes widen slightly as a bluish white light bursts from his palm, before a strangely shaped golden-shaded scimitar materializes into the man's hand. As the light vanishes, the high priest grasps a hold of the scimitar's handle and smirks.

So that is magic, I think to myself thoughtfully. I know I've used that power twice now, but first time was rather unimpressive and the second time I was not exactly aware of what was happening. I wonder if the priest created the sword on the spot or just summoned it from some place. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter right now, I can ask about it later if I still think it's important.

The blade changes the tide of the battle. It looks like the scimitar somehow added the priest's speed and agility, because as my counterpart descends upon my bodyguard, Yugi looks shocked and worried even while jumping to avoid being cut. Slash, slash, thrust, slash… each of them forcing Yugi to back away slightly, and each of them making Yugi slightly more worried. Not much later, Yugi is forced to drawn his knife out to his defence, the gold of the scimitar and the stainless-steel of Yugi's battle knife clashing with a loud clang.

Yugi is forced to defend immediately, the two weapons clashing again and again. This is not just Yugi drawing the time and having his fun before finishing, no. He _can't_ fight back, the priest doesn't allow him. That's something which has never happened. Yet I know that if my bodyguard would have a sword, if he would have a proper katana… then he could do more than just defend. As good as Yugi is with a knife, he is brilliant with katana.

"How?" I turn to look at the pharaoh. "How did the high priest get that weapon? Did he summon it, or create it? And if he created it, how does it happen?" I try to make it sound like I'm just curious.

"Seth created it," the pharaoh shrugs. "It's rather simple bit of magic if you know what you're doing. Magic has tendency of knowing how to do it when you give it the _what._ He just described what he wanted, and the magic did it for him."

Marik and Bakura look at me with confusion. I guess after seeing what I did in that oasis, they presumed that I was knowledgeable magician or something. I ignore them and frown a slightly, thinking about what the pharaoh told me. If is describe the magic _what_, it would take care of _how_?"

"Yugi," I call to my bodyguard. "Describe your katana to me?" Bakura, Marik and the pharaoh look at me strangely, but I ignore them.

"What?" he asks with confusion while shielding himself with his knife.

"Describe your katana to me," I repeat. "Details. How it's made."

Confused, Yugi does as I ask him. He describes the blade, telling exactly how long it is and how it was made, he speaks about all the little details of the handle - making me slightly surprised because of the little parts there is in katana handle. Yet, I don't have the time to think about that. Instead I try to visualise what he is saying in my mind. I've seen Yugi's katana, and I know what it looks like, but knowing how it was made and what it consists gives my mental image a certain debt. I even enclose the image in scabbard after Yugi told me what it was made of and how.

_Make this for me_ I order what magic-power thing which I seem to have inside. _Yugi needs it, make it for me. Make it perfect._

Immediately I feel a curious tingle in my hand. Reaching it forward, I see similar blue-white light burst from my palm. Bakura and Marik gasp and the high priest jumps back to stare as the magic in me creates what I required from it to my hand. Yugi's eyes widen slightly at the sight of the black handled katana in black scabbard which falls to my palm.

"You won't mind if Yugi switches weapons, right?" I ask from the others, before holding the Katana for Yugi to take. Speechless and shocked, Yugi does so while everyone stares in shock and confusion.

"_Yami_…" Yugi whispers his katana's name in shock and looks at me with confused eyes. "How…?"

"Magical replica, I think," I shrug. "I figured you might want to fight the high priest with this."

"Thank you," Yugi speaks with strange reverence, bowing to me slightly, before sheathing his knife and walking back to the high priest.

Even though the pharaoh, the high priest, Bakura and the general all stare at me with shock and curiosity, no one asks about how. "What kind of sword is that?" Marik asks instead. "It doesn't look like anything I've seen before, and weapons are my speciality."

"That's a katana, it's sword our people used once upon time. Yugi is well versed in its use," I shrug. "I figured that if they're going to use weapons, Yugi might as well have his favourite with him."

The high priest nods thoughtfully and steps back to watch Yugi, who holds the sword in its scabbard in his left hand. Taking a different pose now, Yugi easily and somehow very powerfully pulls his weapon out, the action causing almost musical screech of metal against metal. As I eye the high priest and other natives of this place, I can tell that they don't think the sword is anything special. But then again, they don't know how and from what that katana is made of - they don't know that it's probably one of the best swords of our world.

The high priest attacks and Yugi easily rises to the challenge. The swords clash, but only for a moment. With his _Yami_, Yugi overcomes his indecision. He's the second to slash - and the third and fourth. Even though the priest matches the slashes with his defence, everyone can tell that the tide of the fight has changed.

Gods, I never get tired of seeing him like this. Yugi looks absolutely _stunning_ when he has katana in his hand. He always did and he always will. The high priest is skilled enough to match my bodyguard's dance of blades, turning the fight possibly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Yugi seems to think so - his eyes are melting into blue as his love for fighting overcomes his uncertainty.

"I've never seen anyone hold against Seth this long," the pharaoh murmurs with slight awe.

"I've never seen anyone hold against Yugi this long - well, maybe except for when Yugi fights against his apprentice, but that's different," I answer with a smile. Ryô and Yugi could hold a sparring match for hours if they felt like it. "The high priest certainly is skilled." But that is to be expected, I suppose. The high priest is my counterpart after all.

Yugi and the high priest meet again sword to sword with a horrible clang and metallic screech. I and the others watch with fascination as the two of them push against each other, both trying to get upper hand. If it wasn't so serious, it would be amusing. There is good thirty centimetres worth of difference in height between them after all, Yugi looks like little kid when compared to the priest. Yet, as small as Yugi is, he is no doubt very strong, and doesn't relent even an inch. Actually, they're both inching closer to each other, both frowning with determination.

Then suddenly, without any visible reason, their eyes widen and both jump back. I blink with confusion, wondering what that was about, when I see something in the spot they both just backed away from. It's just a small black spot, and at first I think it's a bee or something… but then it suddenly expands as is exploding.

In a flash, Yugi is standing before me with the katana before him and exactly in the same moment, the priest appears to stand before the pharaoh. Standing up from the bench in surprise and curiosity, I look over Yugi's shoulder how the blackness expands to reach two and half metres from the floor. Yugi tightens his hold on the katana as the high priest does the same with his weapon.

"What is that thing?" Marik asks while drawing his knife. Bakura, in the mean while, takes shelter behind the bench. The general turns to look towards the pharaoh and the priest. "Some kind of magic?"

"It doesn't feel like magic," the pharaoh frowns while looking at the blackness from behind the priest. "Or any other kind of force I've ever felt before."

We all gasp as the blackness suddenly breaks as if it was nothing but a shell, and pure _light_ shines from underneath. It's multicolour light, lively and powerful and eerily familiar. Surely it can't be… "It's the same thing again," Yugi murmurs and glances me over his shoulder. "It feels like the power from the energy project."

My eyes narrow a bit and I look at the light again. The blackness lingers on the edges and the light ripples like it was water - or like it was something similar to northern lights. I hesitate before glancing at Yugi. "You don't think…?" I hardly dare to hope. Yugi doesn't answer, just raises his sword just in case as the light intensifies.

The light ripples and is then breached by something I can't identify at first… but then I realise what it is. A hand. I narrow my eyes as the tanned fingers break through, few of them adorned with golden rings. Then we see wrist and thick golden band around it. At first sight I can't help but think the Kemet's nobles and their habit of dressing into ridiculous amounts of gold - just like the pharaoh who seems to have more gold than cloth on.

The hand pushes through more. The golden wristband nearly reaches the tanned elbow, and as the upper arm comes to view we see another golden band around the bicep. Then the shoulder comes into view and finally some fabric - lavender, and definitely not linen. And with that I'm struck with realisation. It's strengthened when more comes into sight and I see that the lavender cloth doesn't reach the person's waist.

"Malik," both I and Yugi mutter in unison. Of course. Malik has always, as long as we've known him, had all the jewellery of ancient Egyptian royal at least. And he's the only one I've seen wear such a top.

Yugi lowers the replica of his katana, before pushing it back into its sheath. He glances at me with a slight hopeful smile, which I know I'm matching with. If it really is Malik then it means… it means we may be finally able to go home! I don't know which of the two of us is more excited about the prospect, but I know I'm practically holding my breath, waiting Malik of emerge fully.

"Master Kaiba?" Marik asks with confusion at the sight of Yugi sheathing his sword and the way we are suddenly at ease. The others are eyeing us as well. "Do… do you know what's going on?"

"Yes, I think I do," I smile as Yugi steps forward, closer to the gate of light. "I hope I do." I take a deep breath and sigh heavily, before grinning like idiot. Home, home… we may finally be able to go home! It hasn't been that bad in here, really, and we haven't been that long here, but still. Home! Televisions, radios, computers, cars, elevators, concrete and skyscrapers… civilisation!

Bit by bit, Malik emerges until finally he falls right through, wobbling a bit before regaining his balance. While Marik, Bakura, the pharaoh and the high priest gasp in shock, Yugi moves to help Marik's counterpart up. "Malik?" my bodyguard asks softly, causing the chief of my surveillance look up sharply. His lavender eyes widen at first before he smirks widely.

"Yugi!" Malik exclaims before - in his usual fashion - attaching himself to Yugi's neck, causing my bodyguard to nearly lose his balance. "You're okay, you're alive, you're here, I missed you, everyone missed you!"

If I hadn't been witnessing this kind of acts from Malik ever since he joined my company, I might get jealous. Yet, I know that this is the usual way Malik acts around Yugi - like little kid on sugar high. So I merely shake my head in amusement and walk forward. "Malik, how did you get here if you don't mind me asking?" I ask from him, barely able to hold my excitement.

"Seto, you're alive too?" Malik looks up and releases my bodyguard, who promptly stands up before helping the tanned Egyptian up as well. "That's neat. And Mokuba sent me. We worked our _asses_ off on the projecty thing to get it working properly - or improperly as it was supposed to be energy conductor and not a gateway into another reality," Malik motions to the gateway. "Your little brother's work most of it. Ryô nearly lost his mind, trying to keep Mokuba from collapsing with overload of work and stress and everything else, but I guess it paid off."

"And he sent you?" I ask curiously while Yugi tries to untangle himself from Malik's arm - which seems useless as Malik keeps warping them around him again and again. I swear, that former-assassin acts like love-starved-puppy occasionally. Or a kitten. It's really hard to believe that the man's twenty-five already.

"Well he was going to sent Ryô, but Ryô argued that he needed to stay there, so they then thought about sending some random worker, but then I volunteered," Malik smiles and leans his cheek against the scarf which covers Yugi's head. "I missed my little master. Now, what are you doing in that kind of getup, and where -" he stops, as his eyes come to rest on Marik, Bakura, the pharaoh and the high priest. "Woah," he mutters with shock, blinking few times before turning to look at me. "Are those…?"

"Our counterparts in this reality," I nod. "But that doesn't matter now. Can we go home?"

"Oh? Home, yeah, of course," Malik motions to the portal even while eying the counterpart with great curiosity - and still leaning on to Yugi who now sighs and rolls his eyes with gentle amusement. "The portal will be up for as long as we need it to be up - draws energy from between realities I think but I'm not really sure. All that quantum-babble isn't really my thing. Mokuba did mention something about beheading me if you weren't back within half an hour. Or was it disembowelling…?"

"Excuse me?" the pharaoh, looking slightly annoyed, interrupts us. "What is going on here, if you don't mind me asking?" there is a large amount of steel in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I smile widely to the pharaoh. "But I think we need to cut this fight short, if you won't mind. Yugi and I need to go home now."

"Home…?" Bakura asks softly while his eyes flicker between Malik and Marik.

"As in, though there?" the high priest eyes the portal.

"Yep, though there," Malik, surprisingly enough, answers for me, speaking the language of this place flawlessly. He turns to look at me. "I didn't know you spoke ancient Egyptian."

"I learned it here, and I didn't know it was ancient Egyptian," I answer. "I didn't know you spoke it, though."

"Dad was old-fashioned. Why you think I wear so much Egyptian jewellery?" Malik shrugs his shoulders, glancing shocked Marik one time before looking at me again. "You know, I really don't want to be maimed by your little brother, so could we get going or something? And why are you dressed up like that anyway?"

"To be able to mingle and our clothing were kind of dirty not to mention hot to wear in this place," I shrug. "And getting going sounds like good idea," I glance at the pharaoh. "Yugi and I would just pick up our things and change clothing before leaving, if you don't mind."

"Leaving… leaving where?" the pharaoh asks slowly with a frown while looking between Marik and Malik. "And how does… why does… who the heck is that?"

"That's not important," I shake my head. "And I guess where we are going isn't really important either. We'll just go back to where we came from. We would just need to get our things and go, and you would never have to be bothered by us again."

"Ah… but…" The pharaoh glances at the priest helplessly. "I guess there isn't much we can say to make you stay?"

"Not a single thing," I say cheerfully. "Your world is nice and all, but we really need to get back to home. Now, if you wouldn't mind?" I look at Malik. "You can stay here, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be just fine," Malik smiles and pats the handgun strapped to his thigh. I nod to him and then to Yugi before we leave the shocked thief, general, priest and pharaoh along with Malik alone in the training room. I can tell that Yugi is just excited about getting home as I am, because he too wastes no time to get to your quarters, where he gathers us things before handing me my original clothing and quickly changing himself. I've missed the sight of him in his leather, but now's not the time for that. After he has packed our newer clothing, he takes what little we own in this place and we head back towards the training room.

"What will we do about Bakura, master Seto?" he asks while we walk back.

I frown a little. I hadn't even thought about that. For a moment I'm tempted to just leave the thief here along with everything else of this place, but then again… Bakura is Yugi's project. "Well… I guess we could offer him the chance to come with us. He is your pet; I wouldn't want to leave a pet without its master. I think I could get someone forge him all the necessary papers and everything else. We could pass him as Ryô's brother if it was necessary…"

"Thank you," Yugi nods while running his hand through his hair, which is no longer hidden underneath the scarf. "I hope the pharaoh and the high priest won't do anything drastic at the sight of us like this."

"Let's hope they won't have the time to."

When we get back to the training room, Malik is laughing loudly at something while the priest, the pharaoh, the general and the thief look each other with worry. While the others turn to look at me and Yugi - all of them expressing various states of shock at the sight of us when we are dressed to our original clothing - Malik turns his mirthful eyes to us. "God? Really? What have you be doing here, Seto?" he asks from me before starting to laugh again.

"Hey, I didn't do anything, blame them and their overactive imagination," I mutter with annoyance and try to ignore the way the priest and the pharaoh are raking their eyes over me and Yugi. Instead I walk to the portal and examine it with my eyes, before turning to look at Bakura. He is staring at me and Yugi with shock, worry and strange sort of hurt in his eyes. Like he's being betrayed. I think he thinks we're leaving him behind.

"You can come with us if you want to, Bakura," I speak to him. "Or you can remain here. I can't know what will happen to you if you stay here, but if you come with us I ensure the very best for you." the thief's eyes widen before starting to lighten up

"Huh?" Malik asks curiously while leaning onto Yugi's shoulders. "What's this, what's this? Why is he coming with us?"

"Yugi's third pet-project," I shrug. "Former thief."

"Ooh, I see," Malik nods and switches to Egyptian. "Come along, little thief. You can't ask for better life - I should know, I'm the same as you."

Somehow Bakura immediately knows Malik's not talking about being a thief. The tanned albino hesitates for a moment, but when Yugi reaches his hand in inviting motion, his decision is made. With a deep breath, Bakura walks forward and Joins us at the portal, taking Yugi's hand and accepting Malik's casual pat on the back.

"So…" Marik speaks quietly. "You're going to go now, just like that? Can't you even tell us who are you?"

"Just people, like you," I smile and shake my head. "Doesn't really matter. It would be best just to forget about us, as it's very likely you'll never see us again."

"Never?" The pharaoh asks before shaking his head. "If you're just going to go like that, then what's the point in all this? Why did you come here anyway?"

"We merely got lost, and now we're returning home. That's all there is to it," I shrug and motion Malik and Bakura to head forward. Exiting through the portal looks whole lot easier than entering, as the two of them slip into the colourful portal with ease. With a last glance at the pharaoh, priest and general, I smile. "Thank you for your hospitality, and good bye." With that, Yugi and I follow Malik and Bakura and finally head back home.

x

Our exit from that other reality was just as heretic as our entering to it, but I guess in a way it's best that way. We didn't find out who was better fighter, Yugi or Seth, but that's okay I suppose. I don't think Yugi could've forgiven himself if he would've beaten Seth and I don't think he could've forgiven himself if he hadn't. This way he doesn't have to live with any guilt, just with _what if_s and such.

Sometimes I wonder what Atem, Seth and Marik thought of our hasty exit. Sometimes I wonder what they speculated about it. Probably strengthened their believes that I was some sort of go or something - the fact that I and Seth were the same and Atem and Yugi were the same probably didn't help that, but oh well, there's little I can do about that now. Not that I would bother to do anything even if I could, after all I'm home now and I with Yugi and that's all which matters. For now anyway.

Heh. That little adventure opened enormous amount of possibilities, though. I failed to create new incredible way to draw energy. Instead I created a way to travel between realities. That should prove to be quite interesting in some near future - not right now, though. Now I shall concentrate onto other things - like onto my bodyguard and all the things he means to me.

xx

I'm not entirely happy with this end, but at least it's written all the way to the finish now. I was supposed to put smex into it too, but that idea got scrapped... along with plenty other ideas I had for this story. I may write a sequel for this in some faraway future, but not in few months atleast.

sorry about the many grammar errors and such, and reviews are always very apreciated


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